NOAA Fisheries Announces Common Pool Area Closure and Possession Prohibition for Georges Bank Cod

Closure Effective at 4:15 pm October 11
through December 31, 2017

We are closing the Trimester Total Allowable Catch Area for Georges Bank cod to common pool vessels on groundfish trips fishing with trawl, sink gillnet, and longline/hook gear for the remainder of Trimester 2, through December 31. The closure is effective at 4:15 pm on October 11, 2017.

The closure applies to the following statistical areas: 521, 522, 525, and 561. See map below.

Also effective October 11, 2017, all common pool vessels are prohibited from possessing Georges Bank cod. This includes inshore and offshore Georges Bank as well as Southern New England.

If you have crossed the vessel monitoring system demarcation line before 4:15 pm and are currently at sea on a groundfish trip, you may complete your trip in all or part of the closed areas. If you have set gillnet gear prior to October 11, 2017, you may complete your trip to retrieve that gear.

For more details, read the filed notice in the Federal Register and the permit holder bulletin, which includes a map of the area.