The Maine Department of Marine Resources will hold a public hearing today on proposed changes to the rules governing the herring fishery.
The Ellsworth American reported that the new rules, proposed by the interstate Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission in Draft Amendment 3 to the Interstate Management Plan for Atlantic Herring, will bring big changes to the fishery that is the primary supplier of bait to Maine’s lobster industry.
According to the ASMFC, the new rules would affect the inshore Gulf of Maine herring fishery  — called Area 1A — to reflect changes in both the herring resource and the fishery itself. The key changes deal with the closure of the fishery during spawning season and would require that herring boats completely empty their fish holds before starting each fishing trip.
The hearing will be held at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 6, in Conference Room 118 of the Marquardt Building, 32 Blossom Lane, Augusta. For information, contact Terry Stockwell at 624-6553.
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