Gulf of Maine Cod Protection Closure IV (October 1 - October 31)
The Gulf of Maine Cod Protection Closure IV below is closed to all fishing vessels from October 1 through October 31 with a few exemptions. It is one of a series of seasonal closures called the Gulf of Maine Cod Protection Closures.
- Vessels that do not have a federal Northeast multispecies permit and are fishing exclusively in state waters
- Charter and party vessels*
- Recreational vessels
- Vessels fishing on a sector trip or under a Handgear A permit
- Vessels fishing with exempted gears (spears, rakes, diving gear, cast nets, tongs, harpoons, weirs, dip nets, stop nets, pound nets, pots and traps, purse seines, surf clam/quahog dredge gear, pelagic hook and line, pelagic longlines, single pelagic gillnets, shrimp trawls (with properly configured grates))
- Vessels participating in the mid-water trawl exempted fishery; vessels using sea scallop dredge gear when under a scallop day-at-sea (DAS), or vessels lawfully in a scallop dredge exemption area
- Vessels participating in the Raised Footrope Trawl Exempted Whiting Fishery.
*Charter and party vessels may fish in the GOM Cod Protection Closures provided they have a Letter of Authorization (LOA) from the Regional Administrator to enter or fish in these areas (additional requirements also apply). An LOA may be obtained by calling the Permit Office at (978) 281-9370.