Fishermen Get Permit to Ignore Rules for 'Exempted' Catches
Published Date: 8/5/2026
Notice
Summary
The Assistant Regional Administrator for Sustainable Fisheries, Greater Atlantic Region, NMFS, has made a preliminary determination that an Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP) application contains all of the required information and warrants further consideration. The EFP would allow federally permitted fishing vessels to fish outside fishery regulations in support of exempted fishing activities proposed by Atlantic Capes Fisheries, Inc. Regulations under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act require publication of this notification to provide interested parties the opportunity to comment on applications for proposed EFPs.
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.
Temporary Permit to Land Both Clam Species
From September 1, 2026 through August 31, 2027, up to 15 federally permitted vessels may be authorized to fish for, retain, and land both surfclams and ocean quahogs on the same trip. The EFP would allow up to 1,200 trips (up to 2,400 total days) in Southern New England and the Mid-Atlantic to collect data on mixed catches for research purposes.
Extra Reporting and ITQ Accounting Requirements
Participating vessels must mark each EFP trip in their Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) declarations and submit VMS trip-start and trip-end hail forms. The project requires use of Individual Transferable Quota (ITQ) cage tags, processors to sort and document catch, and quarterly submission of processor-sort data and ITQ cage tag coverage to the Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office.
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