Atlantic Herring

Recreational Fishing Regulations

Commercial Fishing Regulations

Atlantic Herring Specifications

2023 Atlantic Herring Specifications 

Fishing year 2023 specifications were initially set through Framework Adjustment 8 to the Herring Fishery Management Plan (FMP), and were later replaced through an interim final rule implementing updated 2023-2025 herring specifications. Please visit the regulatory action page for the 2023-2025 herring specifications rule for more information.

2023 Herring Fishery Specifications

* If New Brunswick weir landings are less than 2,722 mt through October 1, then 1,000 mt will be subtracted from the management uncertainty buffer and reallocated to the Area 1A sub-ACL and the ACL. 

** Up to 295 mt of the Area 1A sub-ACL is allocated for the fixed gear fisheries that occur west of Cutler, ME (44° 36.2 N. Lat. and 67° 16.8 W. long). Any portion of this allocation that has not been harvested by November 1 is restored to the Area 1A sub-ACL for the remainder of the fishing year.

Herring 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. 

Possession Limits by Permit Category

*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.

Fishery and Management Area Possession Limit Adjustments

• 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 for the remainder of the fishing year.
• 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 for the remainder of the fishing year.
• 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 for the remainder of the fishing year. 
• When 95 percent of the herring ACL is caught, the herring possession limit in all areas is reduced to 2,000 pounds for the remainder of the fishing year.

To see how much of a sub-ACL or the ACL has been caught by the herring fishery, please visit our herring quota monitoring page.

River Herring/Shad Catch Cap Closures

When 95 percent of a river herring/shad catch cap allocated to the herring fishery has been caught, the herring possession limit for vessels fishing with the specified gear type in the applicable catch cap closure area is reduced to 2,000 pounds for the remainder of the fishing year. To see how much of a river herring/shad catch cap has been caught by the herring fishery, please visit our river herring/shad catch cap monitoring page. 

Haddock Incidental Catch Cap Closures

When the Gulf of Maine and/or Georges Bank incidental catch cap for haddock has been caught, a 2,000-pound herring possession limit will be implemented for herring vessels fishing with midwater trawl gear in the applicable accountability measure area for the remainder of the fishing year. To see how much of a haddock incidental catch cap has been caught by the herring fishery, please visit our haddock incidental catch cap monitoring page.

Fishing in Groundfish Closed Areas

Vessels may fish with midwater trawl gear inside groundfish closed areas on herring trips if the following criteria are met:

• The vessel declares its intent to fish in groundfish closed areas.
• The trip is assigned SBRM coverage in PTNS.
• The vessel carries a NEFOP observer on the trip.

If all the above criteria have been met, vessels may fish with midwater trawl gear on herring trips in the following groundfish closed areas:

• Cashes Ledge Closure Area.
• Western Gulf of Maine Closure Area.
• Closed Area 1 North (February 1 - April 15).
• Closed Area II.

For maps, coordinates, and more information about these closed areas, please visit our groundfish closed areas webpage. 

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 Facts

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

The Northeast Multispecies (Groundfish) Fishery Management Plan prohibits fishing with small-mesh bottom trawl gear, except in specific exemption areas. These exemption areas are summarized here. For additional information about the specific requirements for each area, including possession limit and gear requirements, please visit the area-specific webpages linked within the tables below. 

A Letter of Authorization (LOA) is required to fish participate in some of these exemption areas. You can apply for a Letter of Authorization through your Fish Online account. If you need help with the online application or setting up an account, or have any other questions about the online forms and applications, please contact our Permits Office at (978) 282‐8438 between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. ET or email NMFS.GAR.Permits@noaa.gov. 

Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank Small-Mesh Exemption Areas

Atlantic herring 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 applicable season, area, and gear requirements.
• Comply with all applicable 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

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Southern New England Exemption Area

Vessels may fish with small-mesh bottom trawl gear on herring trips in the Southern New England Exemption Area, provided they comply with all applicable gear and possession requirements.

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Mid-Atlantic Regulated Mesh Area

Vessels may fish with small-mesh bottom trawl gear on herring trips in the Mid-Atlantic Regulated Mesh Area, provided they comply with all applicable gear and possession requirements.

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Industry-Funded Monitoring