Re-opening closed areas raises questions, possibilities

First published in the MLA Newsletter, November, 2012.

Word spread fast that the New England Fishery Management Council is considering options to reopen the groundfish closed areas as a mitigation measure for the draconian cuts in catch limits facing the groundfish industry next May. While many groundfishermen are supportive of this approach, other fishermen and stakeholders have expressed concerns about these openings, citing the importance of the areas for protection of habitat, spawning stocks, marine mammals and the potential for increased gear conflicts.

There are two parallel processes that affect these closures: the first process is the development of measures (within Groundfish Framework 48) to help mitigate the economic impact of the dramatic reductions in groundfish annual catch limits for the 2013 fishing year, which begins next May. Maine lobstermen may be interested that Framework 48 considers reopening the eastern edge of the current Western Gulf of Maine (WGOM) closure and parts of the Cashes Ledge closure.

Second, the Council is considering changing the boundaries of all or some of the habitat closed areas through the Omnibus Habitat Amendment. While many of these areas are offshore, one area likely to be of great interest to Maine lobstermen is the northwest corner of the WGOM closure on Jeffreys Ledge. At this point there are many options still under consideration, all of which are available on the Council’s Web site under the Northeast Multi-Species and Habitat Fishery Management Plan links.

While some feel that the Council is moving quickly toward a foregone conclusion, it’s very difficult to predict what the outcome will be at this early stage.

So where do things currently stand? Here’s what we know:

The Council has supported analyzing this issue carefully and plans to make informed decisions. An ad-hoc Closed Area Technical Team (CATT) was convened specifically to identify goals for closed area management and to draft management options that meet those goals. Currently, two options are on the table for Groundfish Framework 48. Under one option, areas previously closed for habitat protection, or being considered through the Omnibus Habitat Amendment for protection, would remain closed. This option would allow groundfish sectors to request access only to those areas closed solely to reduce fishing mortality (see attached chart). The second option being considered is status quo (meaning that the existing year-round groundfish closed areas would remain closed to groundfish sectors).

Potential gear conflicts will be explicitly considered. As part of the motion discussed above, the Council included language that states “when considering sector requests for access to closed areas, the (NMFS) Regional office should include, inter alia, consideration of the potential for gear conflicts, shifts in fishing effort out of the closed areas and impacts on protected species and lobsters.” The offshore lobster fleet has been in discussions with groundfish industry leaders seeking ways to reduce gear conflict on Georges Bank, and they are close to agreeing upon how to share access to that area.

There’s a ways to go. The Council is scheduled to vote on the final measures for Framework 48 in November and to approve the Draft Habitat Omnibus Amendment for public comment in January, 2013. Framework 48 will be implemented in May 2013, and the Habitat Omnibus Amendment is scheduled to be implemented in June 2014.

DMR will post major updates on these proposals with links to the New England Fishery Management Council’s website to help Maine fishermen stay up to date. In addition, fishermen or others are welcome to contact me at (207)624-6553 or by email at Meredith.Mendelson@maine.gov for more information about the status of the closed area proposals or for information about opportunities for public comment through the Council process.