Gulf of Maine Urchin Dive, Hand/Mechanical Collection Fishery - MMPA List of Fisheries
U.S. fisheries are classified under the Marine Mammal Protection Act according to the level of interactions that result in incidental mortality or serious injury of marine mammals.
Current Classification on the List of Fisheries
Category |
III |
Estimated Number of Participants |
Unknown |
Target Species |
Green sea urchin |
Applicable Take Reduction Plans |
N/A |
Observer Coverage |
N/A |
Marine Mammal Species/Stocks Killed or Injured |
None documented |
Basis for Current Classification
There are no documented cases of marine mammal interactions.
Distribution
This fishery is in Gulf of Maine coastal areas and operates from fall to winter.
Gear Description
This fishery collects urchins by either free diving or using SCUBA in shallow water. Most often a support vessel transports the diver(s) to the fishing site and carries the landings to port. In deeper waters, helmet diving systems are used and the diver is tethered to the vessel with air pumped from the surface. Divers normally use small rakes or hoes to scrape creatures off rocks or dig them out of the seabed. Generally, the catch is placed in bags that are either towed to the surface by the boat or floated to the surface using an air source and a lift bag. Divers rarely work deeper than about 20 meters (66 feet).
Management
Minimum size, closed areas and closed seasons exist in the state of Massachusetts. Sea urchin management zones exist in Maine.
Historical Information
Original Category (Year added to the LOF) |
III (1989) |
Original Number of Participants |
>50 |
Basis for Original Classification |
There are no documented cases of marine mammal interactions. |
Past Names |
N/A |
Species/stocks historically documented as killed or injured (but not currently on the list) |
N/A |
Timeline of Changes
2011 |
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