Green Fishing Gear Gets Special Permit: Eco-Experiment in Gulf of Maine
Published Date: 4/13/2026
Notice
Summary
The Gulf of Maine Research Institute wants special permission to try out new fishing gear that’s super gentle on the environment. This lets certain fishing boats catch fish in areas and ways usually not allowed, helping gather important data. If you have thoughts, speak up by April 28, 2026—this could change how fishing rules work and support smarter, eco-friendly fishing!
Analyzed Economic Effects
5 provisions identified: 5 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Allowed retention of sublegal fish for research
If approved, the exempted fishing permit (EFP) would let participating federally permitted vessels retain sublegal pollock and Northeast Atlantic cod for multispecies biological sampling by exempting 50 CFR 648.83(a). The project runs from 05/01/2026 through 04/30/2027 and specifies 1 vessel, 20 trips, and that no sub-legal fish will be sold.
Permission to fish inside closure areas
The EFP would exempt participating vessels from closure-area rules at Cashes Ledge and the Western Gulf of Maine Closure Area (50 CFR 648.81(a)(1) and 50 CFR 648.81(e)(1)) to allow sampling inside those closed areas. The project identifies statistical areas 513, 514, and 515 and would allow up to 20 trips of 2 days each during 05/01/2026–04/30/2027.
Project funding will compensate participating vessel
GMRI reports additional funding from The Nature Conservancy will allow compensation to the F/V Lady Rebecca for sample pollock and will eliminate the need for dockside sampling for the remainder of the 2025 season and the 2026 season. The project period is 05/01/2026–04/30/2027 and specifies 20 trips totaling 40 days.
Trial of electronic jigging gear in closed areas
The application would allow the use of electronic jigging machines (auto-jigs) and rod-and-reel gear as a novel, ultra-low impact gear type to collect catch data in Gulf of Maine Groundfish Closure Areas. The project would deploy up to four auto-jigs and two rod-and-reels at a time across 20 trips from 05/01/2026–04/30/2027.
Collection of tagged pollock and cod DNA samples
The project seeks to tag at least 150 pollock (every 10th pollock tagged) and to provide 50 cod fin clips from inside the Gulf of Maine Closed Area for an ongoing cod DNA study. Sampled pollock data will include length, weight, sex, stomach contents, and a photo; sampled fish will be frozen for collection by GMRI staff.
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