Council Discusses Spiny Dogfish
Trip Limits

Fitzsimmons, seen here with girlfriend Kendra Anthony and their son Carter, fishes in Lubec and comes from a long line of fishermen on both sides of his family. He won one of two licenses in the 18-30 age group. Photo courtesy Chase Fitzsimmons.

The Council approved 2019-2021 fishing year specifications for spiny dogfish. The Mid-Atlantic Council approved the same specifications during its October meeting. The fishery is jointly managed by the two Councils with the Mid-Atlantic Council having the administrative lead. The new three year specifications now will be submitted to the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS/NOAA Fisheries) for review and implementation. Both Councils supported retaining the 6,000-pound federal trip limit in the specifications package.

Back during its September meeting, the New England Council cast two votes related to trip limits and recommended that the Mid-Atlantic Council:

(1) Increase the trip limit to 8,000 pounds in the specifications package for 2019-2021; and

(2) Develop an action to address trip limits that included consideration of removing the federal limit completely.

At its own October meeting, the Mid-Atlantic Council opted to retain the current 6,000-pound trip limit. However, it also voted to pursue a subsequent action “as soon as possible” to review trip limits in general for spiny dogfish, potentially as a Council priority. This action would include consideration of removing the federal limit.

The New England Council voted at its December 4-6, 2018 meeting in Newport, RI to reinforce its September position and again ask the Mid-Atlantic Council to make a spiny dogfish trip limit action a 2019 priority. The Mid-Atlantic Council was meeting December 10-13, 2018 in Annapolis, MD.

Spiny Dogfish documents used during the New England Council’s December meeting can be found at https://www.nefmc.org/library/december-2018-dogfish-committee