Atlantic Herring

Recreational Fishing Regulations

Commercial Fishing Regulations

Atlantic Herring Specifications and Possession Limits

2022 Atlantic Herring Specifications 

Fishing year 2022 specifications were initially set through Framework Adjustment 8 to the Herring Fishery Management Plan (FMP), and were later adjusted through a January 2022 temporary rule. Please visit our Framework 8 regulatory action page for more information on fishery specifications.

Research Set-Aside (RSA)

Up to 3 percent of the herring ACL can be set aside for use in research.

2022 Research Set-Aside

No vessels are pursuing herring RSA in 2022. As a result, we did not specify RSA for 2022. Herring RSA will be revisited for fishing years the 2023-2025

Possession Limits

Vessels fishing for herring that are less than 165 feet in length overall, less than 750 gross registered tons, or less than 3,000 shaft horsepower may be issued one of the herring permits listed below. Herring vessels exceeding the size and horsepower restrictions may be issued a herring at-sea processing permit. 

*Any vessel issued a limited access mackerel permit can be issued this herring open access permit

Possession Limit Adjustments

The possession limits in the table above apply unless one of the following possession limit adjustments are in effect:

• When 95 percent of the Area 1A or Area 1B sub-ACL has been caught, the herring possession limit in those areas is reduced to 2,000 pounds.
• When 90 percent of the Area 2 or Area 3 sub-ACL is caught, the herring possession limit in those areas is reduced to 40,000 pounds.
• When 98 percent of the Area 2 or Area 3 sub-ACL is caught, the herring possession limit in those areas is reduced to 2,000 pounds. 
• When 95 percent of the herring ACL is caught, the herring possession limit in all areas is reduced to 2,000 pounds.

Slippage Prohibition

Slippage in the Atlantic herring fishery means discarded catch from a vessel issued an Atlantic herring permit that is carrying a NOAA Fisheries-certified observer or monitor prior to the catch being brought on board or prior to the catch being made available for sampling and inspection by a NOAA Fisheries-certified observer or monitor after the catch is on board. Slippage also means any catch that is discarded during a trip prior to it being sampled portside by a portside sampler on a trip selected for portside sampling coverage by NOAA Fisheries. Slippage includes releasing catch from a codend or seine prior to the completion of pumping the catch aboard and the release of catch from a codend or seine while the codend or seine is in the water. Fish that cannot be pumped and remain in the codend or seine at the end of pumping operations are not considered slippage. Discards that occur after the catch is brought on board and made available for sampling and inspection by a NOAA Fisheries-certified observer or monitor are also not considered slippage.

Vessels may make test tows without pumping catch on board, provided that all catch from test tows is available to the observer when the next tow is brought aboard.

Slippage does not include operational discards, discards that occur after the catch is brought on board and made available for sampling and inspection by a NOAA Fisheries-certified observer or monitor, or fish that inadvertently fall out of or off fishing gear as gear is being brought on board the vessel

Exceptions from Slippage Prohibition

Limited Access herring vessels (Category A, B, C) may slip catch if:

1. Pumping the catch aboard could compromise safety;
2. Mechanical failure prevents the catch from being pumped aboard; or
3. Spiny dogfish have clogged the pump and prevent the catch from being pumped aboard.

Slippage Consequence Measure

If a vessel issued any limited access herring permit slips catch, the vessel operator must report the slippage event on the Atlantic herring daily VMS catch report and indicate the reason for slipping catch. Additionally, the vessel operator must complete and sign a released catch affidavit form, which is available on the Greater Atlantic Region Forms and Applications Summary webpage. The released catch affidavit must detail:

• Why catch was slipped;
• An estimate of the quantity and species composition of the slipped catch; and
• The time and location of the slipped catch.

The completed affidavit must be submitted to NOAA Fisheries within 48 hr of the end of the trip.

If a vessel issued a Category A or B Herring permit slips catch for any of the reasons described in the section above (see “Exceptions for Slippage Prohibitions”), the vessel operator must move at least 15 nm from where the slippage event occurred before deploying any gear again, and must stay at least 15 nm away from the slippage event location for the remainder of the fishing trip.

If a vessel issued a Category A or B herring permit slips catch for any reason not described in the section above, the vessel operator must immediately terminate the trip and return to port. No fishing activity may occur during the return to port.

Commercial Gear Information

Subsistence Fishing Regulations

Seafood Overview

Is Atlantic Herring Sustainable?

U.S. wild-caught Atlantic herring is a smart seafood choice because it is sustainably managed and responsibly harvested under U.S. regulations.

Availability

Year-round. Most of the herring eaten in the United States is canned and either pickled or smoked.

Source

U.S. wild-caught from Maine to North Carolina.

Taste

Small fresh herring have a more delicate flavor, while larger herring have a fuller, oilier flavor.

Texture

The meat of fresh herring is soft.

Color

The meat of fresh herring is off-white.

Health Benefits

Atlantic herring are a great source of omega-3s, vitamin B12, and iron.

Exempted Fishing

Fishing with Small-Mesh Bottom Trawl Gear

The Northeast Multispecies (Groundfish) Fishery Management Plan prohibits fishing with small-mesh bottom trawl gear, except in specific exemption areas. These exemption areas are described below, and additional information about the specific requirements for each area can be found on the linked webpages within the tables.

A Letter of Authorization (LOA) is required to participate in some of these exemption areas. Permits and LOAs can be obtained from our Permits Office at (978) 282-8438, or online by visiting our Forms and Applications webpage. If you have questions about these exemption areas, please call the Sustainable Fisheries Division at (978) 281-9315.

Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank Small-Mesh Exemption Areas

Atlantic herring and Atlantic mackerel may be retained by vessels fishing with small-mesh bottom trawl gear in the exemption areas listed in the table below, provided vessels meet the following criteria:

• Comply with all season, area, and gear requirements.
• Comply with all possession limits. 
• Are issued a whiting (Category K Open Access Northeast Multispecies) permit or a limited access Northeast multispecies permit.

Herring is considered an incidentally-caught species in these exemption areas; therefore, in order to fish with small-mesh bottom trawl in these areas, vessels must be on a trip targeting whiting. River herring and shad may not be retained when fishing with small-mesh bottom trawl gear in these exemption areas, with the exception that alewife may be retained in the Gulf of Maine Grate Raised Footrope Trawl Exemption Area.

Southern New England Exemption Area

Vessels may fish for herring using small-mesh bottom trawl gear in the Southern New England Exemption Area, provided they comply with all gear requirements and possession limits. River herring may be retained as incidental catch when fishing with small-mesh bottom trawl gear in this exemption area. 

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