NOAA to aid in cost for at-sea fishing monitoring
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said it will help pay for the cost of at-sea fishing monitoring for New England groundfish fishermen.
Beginning July 1, groundfish fishermen covered by the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan will be reimbursed for their at-sea monitoring costs through an arrangement with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission.
The at-sea monitoring program analyzes the fishing area, as well as the catch and gear type, in order to monitor sector quotas. The Northeast Fisheries Science Center, the research arm of NOAA Fisheries, is required to collect scientific, management, regulatory compliance and economic data for fisheries, according to a release.
“The at-sea monitoring program is an important tool that helps us to responsibly manage Maine’s critical ocean resources,” U.S. Sens. Susan Collins and Angus King said in a joint statement issued June 23. “Maine’s hardworking fishermen shouldn’t bear an unfair financial burden in supporting the ASM program. We applaud NOAA for stepping up to help reimburse our fishermen, and will continue to fight for the Maine groundfish industry moving forward.”
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