Recent Announcements

• 05/06/2013 - New Spiny Dogfish Exemption Areas East and West of Cape Cod
• 04/30/2013 - Multispecies sector operations plans interim final rule partially approves operations plans and grants 23 regulatory exemptions for 17 fishing sectors for fishing year 2013
• 04/30/2013 - Framework 48 contains measures to enhance fishing opportunities for groundfish vessels to mitigate potential negative economic impacts from reductions in catch limits for 2013
• 04/30/2013 - Framework 50 implements catch limits for groundfish stocks for 2013 through 2015, as well as catch limits for the U.S./Canada stocks for 2013
• 03/01/2013 - NOAA Fisheries Approves Groundfish Sector Trawl Vessel Exemption to Target Redfish with 4.5" Codend Mesh. Effective Date: February 28, 2013
• 02/20/2013 - NE Multispecies Vessels - Extension of the Day-At-Sea Leasing Deadline
• 02/12/2013 - Northeast multispecies announcement of approved dockside and at-sea monitoring providers for 2013. Effective Date: May 1, 2013
• February 11, 2013 - Northeast Multispecies Common Pool Vessels Trip Limit Adjustments for Five Stocks - Effective Date: February 11, 2013, through April 30, 2013.
• December 5, 2012 - NE Multispecies Fishery - Council Considering a Process for Allowing sectors to Access Year-round Groundfish Closed Areas in Fishing Year 2013
• December 5, 2012 - Multispecies Sector PSC, DAS, & Pounds for 2013

Recent And Upcoming Actions

• Interim Final Rule; Northeast Multispecies Fishery; Exempted Fishery for the Spiny Dogfish Fishery in the Waters East and West of Cape Cod, MA
• Interim final rule; request for comments; Northeast Multispecies Fishery; Framework Adjustment 50
• Interim final rule; request for comments; Northeast Multispecies Fishery; Framework Adjustment 48
• Interim final rule; request for comments; 2013 Sector Operations Plans and Contracts and Allocation of Northeast Multispecies Annual Catch Entitlements
• Final rule; Northeast Multispecies Fishery; Sector Exemptions; Final Rule Implementing a Targeted Acadian Redfish Fishery for Sector Vessels
• Temporary rule; Trip Limit Adjustments for the Common Pool Fishery
• Notice, Northeast Multispecies Fishery; Approved Monitoring Service Providers
• Temporary rule; closure; Northeast Multispecies Fishery; White Hake Trimester Total Allowable Catch Area Closure for the Common Pool Fishery
• Advance notice of proposed rulemaking; request for comments; Control Date To Limit Excessive Accumulation of Control, Qualifying Landings History, and Referendum Eligibility in the Small-Mesh Multispecies Fishery
• Notice of availability of a fishery management plan amendment; request for comment; Northeast Multispecies; Amendment 19
• Notice; Notification of determination of overfishing and approaching an overfished condition as well as inadequate progress in rebuilding; GOM haddock, American plaice; SNE/MA stock of winter flounder
• Notice; Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Modification Northeast Multispecies Amendment 16
• Temporary rule; Northeast Multispecies Fishery; Fishing Year 2012 Days-at-Sea Adjustment for Common Pool Fishery; Announcement of Fishing Year 2011 Sector Annual Catch Entitlement Carryover
• Temporary rule; Northeast Multispecies Fishery; Adjustment of Georges Bank Yellowtail Flounder Annual Catch Limits
• Final rule; Northeast Multispecies Fishery; Exempted Fishery for the Southern New England Skate Bait Trawl Fishery
• Temporary final rule; adjustment to specifications; Revisions to Framework Adjustment 47 to the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan and Sector Annual Catch Entitlements; Updated Annual Catch Limits for Sectors and the Common Pool for Fishing Year 2012
• Notice; intent to prepare an environmental impact statement; request for comments; Northeast Multispecies Fishery; Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
• Final rule; enforcement of collection-of-information requirements; Northeast Multispecies, Monkfish, Atlantic Sea Scallop; Amendment 17; DAS Credit Provision
• Notice; Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Northeast Multispecies Days-at-Sea Leasing Program
• Final Rule; 2012 Sector Operations Plans and Contracts, and Allocation of Northeast Multispecies Annual Catch Entitlements
• Final Rule; Northeast Multispecies Fishery; Framework Adjustment 47
• Temporary Rule; Interim Measures; Request For Comments; Northeast Multispecies Fishery; Interim Action; Republication
• Interim Rule; Withdrawal;  Northeast Multispecies Fishery; Interim Action; Withdrawn
• Final Rule; Northeast Multispecies Fishery; Recreational Accountability Measures
  • Supporting Documents - FEIS/RIR
• Temporary Rule; Interim Measures; Request For Comments; Northeast Multispecies Fishery; Interim Action
  • Supporting Documents - EA & Stock Assessment for GOM Cod
• Final Rule; Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan; Secretarial Amendment
  • Supporting Documents - Secretarial Amendment, EA/IRFA
• Final Rule; Northeast (NE) Multispecies Fishery; Amendment 17
  • Supporting Documents - EA/RFA
• Temporary Rule; Northeast Multispecies Fishery; Trip Limit Adjustments for the Common Pool Fishery
• Notice; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS); Northeast Multispecies Fishery; Notice of Public Scoping Meetings; Correction
• Emergency Rule; Request For Comments; Gulf of Maine Winter Flounder Catch Limit Revisions
  • E-Mail comments may be submitted, identified by RIN 0648-XA913 via the Federal eRulemaking Portal http://www.regulations.gov
  • Supporting Documents - EA

Amendment 16 Court Hearing 03/15/11 Briefing Documents

• Federal Defendants' Consolidated Memorandum in Support of Cross- Motion for Summary Judgment and in Opposition to Motions for Summary Judgment, Docket Nos. 56, 61, and 63
• Federal Defendants' Response to Food & Water Watch, Inc.'s Amicus Brief, Docket No. 87-1
• Federal Defendants' Response to Massachusetts' Amicus Brief, Docket No. 79
• Federal Defendants' Consolidated Reply in Support of Summary Judgment and in Response to Oppositions by Plaintiffs New Bedford and Lovgren, Docket Nos. 83 and 84

Past Actions - Federal Register Documents

• 1994-2013

Programs

• New Sector Management Homepage -- Learn more about the development of fishing sectors in the groundfish fishery
• DAS Leasing and Transfer Program - Learn your DAS Leasing Baseline and get a List of Compatible Vessels
• Special Management Programs — Fishing Industry Homepage
• Vessel Monitoring System
• Sector Allocation Program — Under Development
• Dealer Reporting Web Page
• Charter/Party Regulations — Under Development
• U.S. & Canadian Transboundary Management Guidance Committee

Information Sheets

• Small Mesh Fishery Exemptions
• Large Mesh Fishery Exemptions
• Closed Area Regulations
• Charter/Party and Recreational Fishing
• Landing/Possession and Size Limits
• Days-At-Sea (DAS) Leasing Program
• Days-At-Sea (DAS) Transfer Program
• Accountability Measures (AM) and Annual Catch Limits (ACL)
• U.S./Canada Management Area, Regular B- DAS Program, and Special Access
• Handgear A Permit
• Handgear B Permit
• Small Vessel Category Permit

Other Resources

• Groundfish Facts

Charts — Fishery Specific Charts

Forms - Permit Applications And Request Forms

FishWatch - U.S. Seafood Facts

• Atlantic Cod
• Haddock
• Atlantic Pollock
• Winter Flounder
• Yellowtail Flounder