New Net Size Tool Demo at NEFMC

The Council adopted several consensus statements drafted by its Enforcement Committee.

One of these pertained to use of the OMEGA Mesh Gauge® to measure fishing nets. The Coast Guard

extensively tested the OMEGA gauge and concluded that it has notable benefits over the weight-and-spade tools currently being used to measure webbing. Coast Guard representatives provided a demonstration for Council members comparing the OMEGA gauge versus the weight-and-spade.

The Council recommended that NOAA, under existing authority, adopt the OMEGA gauge to measure mesh size once the Enforcement Section of NOAA General Counsel determines that all legal requirements have been met.

The Council also endorsed the Enforcement Committee’s recommendation to continue the Codend Compliance Assistance Program (CAP) for another year in order to collect additional data to verify mesh size changes over time. The program was launched in September 2017.

Learn more about it at Codend CAP Underway. Reidar’s Manufacturing Inc. in New Bedford was the first participating dealer to join the Codend CAP. Since then, Levin Marine Supply Co. in Fairhaven, MA also has joined, and other dealers are considering the prospect. The Council debated other enforcement-related subjects as well. More information is available at Enforcement Presentations and Documents-nefmc.org