



Exempted fisheries allow vessels to fish for specific species without being subject to certain northeast (NE) multispecies regulations, including days-at-sea, provided the bycatch of regulated species is minimal. These are two small-mesh exemption areas primarily designed for the whiting fishery, but some other species may be possessed or landed incidentally as well.
Small Mesh Areas 1 and 2 (as seen above) are defined by straight lines connecting the following points in the order stated below:
Small Mesh Area 1 | |
---|---|
N. Latitude | W. Longitude |
43°03’ | 70°27’ |
42°57’ | 70°22’ |
42°47’ | 70°32’ |
42°45’ | 70°29’ |
42°43’ | 70°32’ |
42°44’ | 70°39’ |
42°49’ | 70°43’ |
42°50’ | 70°41’ |
42°53’ | 70°43’ |
42°55’ | 70°40’ |
42°59’ | 70°32’ |
Note: Portions of Small Mesh Area 1 fall within the state jurisdictions of Massachusetts and New Hampshire. When fishing in state waters, a federally permitted vessel is subject to the more restrictive of federal or state regulations.
Small Mesh Area 2 | |
---|---|
N. Latitude | W. Longitude |
43°05.6’ | 69°55’ |
43°10.1’ | 69°43.3’ |
42°49.5’ | 69°40’ |
42°41.5’ | 69°40’ |
42°36.6’ | 69°55’ |
43°05.6’ | 69°55’ |
Note: Portions of Small Mesh Area 2 are affected by Inshore Closure Areas and are thus closed during these time periods.
Small Mesh Area 1: July 15 – November 15.
Small Mesh Area 2: January 1 – June 30.
Trawl vessels are required to use a raised footrope trawl when fishing in Small Mesh Areas 1 and 2, depending on the species of fish targeted. A description of the raised footrope trawl can be found in the 'Commercial Fishing' section of either red hake or silver hake species pages.
Note: Possession limits may be reduced to 2,000 lb for whiting and 400 lb for red hake if the in-season possession limit triggers are reached.
While fishing in these exemption areas, vessels may not fish for, possess on board, or land any species of fish other than small-mesh multispecies (hakes) and the following species as incidental catch:
When transiting the Gulf of Maine or Georges Bank Regulated Mesh Areas (RMA), any nets with a mesh size smaller than the RMA minimum mesh size must be stowed and unavailable for immediate use.