The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is considering an Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP) application submitted by the Northeast Seafood Coalition and the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries.
The EFP would allow 14 federally permitted fishing vessels to operate in the Gulf of Maine Cod Protection Closure Areas I and II, specifically in Statistical Areas 132 and 133, to collect data on cod spawning.
The project aims to evaluate the effectiveness of current seasonal cod protection closures and to optimize the yield of other groundfish stocks while ensuring cod conservation.
Fishing activities under this EFP would be exempt from certain federal regulations, including restrictions on fishing in cod protection areas and retaining cod below the minimum size limit.
The project will run from May 1, 2025, to June 30, 2025, involving 128 trips with bottom trawl gear, each lasting one day.
Data collected will help assess the presence and spawning activity of cod in these areas, contributing to the New England Fishery Management Council’s Atlantic Cod Transition Plan.
If spawning cod are detected above certain thresholds, fishing under the EFP will be halted to protect the cod population.
Local fishermen and stakeholders are encouraged to submit comments on the EFP proposal by April 28, 2025, to ensure their voices are heard in the decision-making process.