Monkfish limits lightened for groundfishermen
The North American Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has temporarily raised monkfish catch limits by 4.6% in the Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank, expanding a fishery sometimes seen as an alternative for groundfishermen facing limits on the catch of other species, notably cod.
The increase suspends existing monkfish limits for vessels that have both a groundfishing permit and a days-at-sea monkfishing permit, according to the Gloucester Daily Times.
NOAA estimates the 271-ton increase, bringing the total catch limit to 5,854 metric tons, will bring in revenues of between $661,000 and $1.9 million.
The expansion of those limits come after regulators dropped cod catch limits by 77%. The paper reported that around 75% of permitted groundfishing vessels also have limited access to monkfish permits.
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