Atlantic Herring Fishery Management Plan regulations require NOAA Fisheries to implement a 2,000-lb Atlantic herring possession limit for Atlantic herring vessels fishing with midwater trawl gear in the Cape Cod Catch Cap Closure Area beginning on the date that catch is projected to reach 95 percent of the Cape Cod Catch Cap. We have projected that Atlantic herring midwater trawl vessels will have caught 95 percent of the 2024 Cape Cod Catch Cap by January 23, 2024.
As a result, effective 00:01 hr local time on January 23, 2024, through 24:00 hr local time on December 31, 2024, Atlantic herring midwater trawl vessels may not attempt or do any of the following: Fish for, possess, transfer, receive, land, or sell more than 2,000 lb of Atlantic herring from the Cape Cod Catch Cap Closure Area per trip; or land Atlantic herring from the Cape Cod Catch Cap Closure Area more than once per calendar day (Figure 1). Also effective 00:01 hr local time, January 23, 2024, through 24:00 hr local time, December 31, 2024, federally permitted dealers may not attempt or do any of the following: Purchase; receive; possess; have custody or control of; sell; barter; trade; or transfer more than 2,000 lb of Atlantic herring per trip or calendar day from an Atlantic herring midwater trawl vessel fishing in the Cape Cod Catch Cap Closure Area, unless it is from a vessel that enters port before 00:01 hr local time on January 23, 2024, and catch is landed in accordance with state management measures.
Atlantic herring midwater trawl vessels that enter port before 00:01 hr local time on January 23, 2024, may land and sell, and dealers may receive or purchase, more than 2,000 lb of Atlantic herring from a trip in the Cape Cod Catch Cap Closure Area, provided that catch is landed in accordance with state management measures.
Atlantic herring midwater trawl vessels may transit through or land in the Cape Cod Catch Cap Closure Area with more than 2,000 lb of Atlantic herring on board, provided that: The Atlantic herring were caught in an area not subject to a 2,000-lb limit; all fishing gear is stowed and not available for immediate use as defined by § 648.2; and the vessel is issued a permit appropriate to the amount of Atlantic herring on board and the area where the herring was harvested.
This bulletin serves as a Small Entity Compliance Guide, complying with section 212 of the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996.
