September 7, 2017 - The following was released by NOAA Fisheries Greater Atlantic Regional Office:
After reviewing new landings information, we now project that the Illex squid fishery will reach its domestic quota for the 2017 fishing year on September 15.
NOAA Fisheries is therefore closing the directed fishery in federal waters effective September 15 through the end of the fishing year, December 31, 2017.
Effective September 15, vessels are prohibited from fishing for or landing more than 10,000 lbs per trip per calendar day in or from federal waters until December 31.
If you have started a trip prior to September 15, you may offload and sell more than 10,000 lbs of Illex squid from that trip as long as the vessel entered port before 00:01hr on September 15.
For more information, please read the revised notice as filed in the Federal Register this afternoon, and the revised permit holder bulletin posted on our website.
Questions? Contact Alyson Pitts at Alyson.Pitts@noaa.gov or 978-281-9352