Atlantic Fisheries Commission Passes Atlantic Herring Spawning Closures in Amendment 3 Provision
SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] February 10, 2016
The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) approved changes on how Atlantic Herring spawning will be monitored.
In addition to the spawning closures, changes to the Atlantic Herring's Interstate Fishery Management Plan under the Amendment 3 provision included modifications to the fixed gear set‐aside, and an empty fish hold provision contingent on federal adoption. The provision was passed during the ASMFC's winter meetings held last week in Alexandria, Virginia.
The Amendment also consolidated prior amendments (and associated addenda) and recent management decisions into a single document; it is now the comprehensive document for Atlantic herring management in state waters.
The fishery will now use a modified GSI‐based spawning monitoring system to track reproductive maturity in an effort to better align the timing of spawning area closures with the onset of spawning. The method will be tested and evaluated for effectiveness during the 2016 fishing season. If found to be ineffective the Section has the option to revert back to using the prior monitoring system...
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