Below is a list of existing and potential management measures, some that were recently discussed by the New England Fishery Management Council's Recreational Advisory Panel, as well as new measures used in other fisheries or the commercial fleet.
Existing Measures
Bag Limits
- Single species
- Combination of species
- Separate measures by mode
Season Limits
- Temporal closures
- Shoulder seasons
Size Limits
- Minimum fish size
Closed Areas
- Gulf of Maine (Whaleback)
- Cod Spawning Protection Area
- Winter Massachusetts Bay Spawning Protection Area
Potential Measures
Separate Measures
By mode: private angler, charter, and party (this is allowed under Amendment 16 to the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan)
Tags
- Tags per angler
- Tags per boat
- Tags per trip
Zero Retention/No Possession
No possession of certain species. Can be seasonal, by trip, or by area.
Full Retention
Retain all catch
Gear Modifications
- In-line circle hooks
- Number of hooks per line
- Special Access Program
Effort Controls
- Limited entry
- Number of days
- Number of trips
- Balance input and output controls--e.g., increase bag limits and decrease number of trips.
Experimental Fishery
Temporary exempted fishing permit to test certain measures, areas, or gear.
Closed Areas
Spatial closures -- permanent or temporary, with potential for near real-time, pending data availability
Boat Limits
Specific number of fish for the boat overall, or per person. Could be single or mixed species.
Size Limits
Slot limits, minimum size, maximum size
