Hi,
Looks like the recs take a hit they don't deserve again. The recs didn't cause the mess in the first place.
Capt. Marc
http://www.bdssr.com/latest/f33_suit/f33_suit_update_apr.htm
Apr 26
US Judge Gladys Kessler has ruled largely in favor of the mediated settlement in the Framework 33 lawsuit. This ruling supercedes NMFS interim rules published yesterday.
Text of the ruling by the judge.
Amended Interim Rule effective May 1 - July 31:
No more than 25% DAS use from May-July
Anything between 3-15 hours counts as 15 hours of DAS time
No front-loading of the clock
WGOM and Cashes are closed year-round
Close blocks 128 and 130 year-round, 124-125 in May, and 132-133 in June.
6.5 inch mesh for trawl and trip gillnetters in the GOM.
Dayboat gillnet allowance: 50 roundfish at 6.5 inch, 100 flatfish at 7 inch, and 150 monkfish at 10 inch.
Cod minimum size to 22 inches for commercial vessels, 23 inch for recreational vessels. T
Minimum 6 inch spacing between fairlead rollers for crucifiers.
"Limit all charter and party recreational vessels in the Gulf of Maine to 10 cod/haddock." I'm not positive just what this means.
All private recreational vessels limited to 10 cod.
All prior existing regulations and restrictions continue to apply.
Second Amended Interim Rule, effective Aug 1 until Amendment 13 in complete.
DAS are frozen at the average used from May 1 1996 - Apr 30 2001, not to exceed the current allocation. No guaranteed minimum DAS allocation.
Then reduce DAS by 20% from the baseline above.
Any latent effort not used in 2001 may not be activated.
Again, minimum cod size of 22 inches.
Mandatory 5% observer coverage or higher if necessary to provide statistically reliable data. Effective May 1 2003, 10% observer coverage (for all gear sectors) unless NMFS can demonstrate that it's not necessary.
Open access permits limited to 200 lb.
No more multispecies permits issued, period.
Again, no front-loading.
Continue the WGOM closure, "unless modified by amendment."
Same mesh and crucifier restrictions as above.
On Georges, gillnetters limited to 50 groundfish nets at 6.5 inch. Monkfish nets at 10 inch.
The Georges cod trip limit remains at 2,000/20,000.
On Georges in May, close blocks 80-80 and 118-120 south of 42"20'.
GB hook limits: 3,600 hooks, minimum size of 12/0 circle
GOM trip gillnetters: Limit of 150 nets at 6.5 inch, except monkfish nets must be 10 inch.
GOM day gillnetters: limit of 50 stand-up nets at 6.5 inch, 100 tie-down nets at 7 inch, or if you're using 10 inch mesh you can have 150 nets. From March-June, only tie-down nets may be used.
Cashes remains closed.
No increase in the cod trip limit for the duration of this action
Open blocks 124 & 125 in January, February, and March
GOM hook limitss: 2,000 hooks, minimum size of 12/0 circle.
Keep 128 and 130 closed year-round, 124-125 in May, and 132-133 in June.
Looks like the recs take a hit they don't deserve again. The recs didn't cause the mess in the first place.
Capt. Marc
http://www.bdssr.com/latest/f33_suit/f33_suit_update_apr.htm
Apr 26
US Judge Gladys Kessler has ruled largely in favor of the mediated settlement in the Framework 33 lawsuit. This ruling supercedes NMFS interim rules published yesterday.
Text of the ruling by the judge.
Amended Interim Rule effective May 1 - July 31:
No more than 25% DAS use from May-July
Anything between 3-15 hours counts as 15 hours of DAS time
No front-loading of the clock
WGOM and Cashes are closed year-round
Close blocks 128 and 130 year-round, 124-125 in May, and 132-133 in June.
6.5 inch mesh for trawl and trip gillnetters in the GOM.
Dayboat gillnet allowance: 50 roundfish at 6.5 inch, 100 flatfish at 7 inch, and 150 monkfish at 10 inch.
Cod minimum size to 22 inches for commercial vessels, 23 inch for recreational vessels. T
Minimum 6 inch spacing between fairlead rollers for crucifiers.
"Limit all charter and party recreational vessels in the Gulf of Maine to 10 cod/haddock." I'm not positive just what this means.
All private recreational vessels limited to 10 cod.
All prior existing regulations and restrictions continue to apply.
Second Amended Interim Rule, effective Aug 1 until Amendment 13 in complete.
DAS are frozen at the average used from May 1 1996 - Apr 30 2001, not to exceed the current allocation. No guaranteed minimum DAS allocation.
Then reduce DAS by 20% from the baseline above.
Any latent effort not used in 2001 may not be activated.
Again, minimum cod size of 22 inches.
Mandatory 5% observer coverage or higher if necessary to provide statistically reliable data. Effective May 1 2003, 10% observer coverage (for all gear sectors) unless NMFS can demonstrate that it's not necessary.
Open access permits limited to 200 lb.
No more multispecies permits issued, period.
Again, no front-loading.
Continue the WGOM closure, "unless modified by amendment."
Same mesh and crucifier restrictions as above.
On Georges, gillnetters limited to 50 groundfish nets at 6.5 inch. Monkfish nets at 10 inch.
The Georges cod trip limit remains at 2,000/20,000.
On Georges in May, close blocks 80-80 and 118-120 south of 42"20'.
GB hook limits: 3,600 hooks, minimum size of 12/0 circle
GOM trip gillnetters: Limit of 150 nets at 6.5 inch, except monkfish nets must be 10 inch.
GOM day gillnetters: limit of 50 stand-up nets at 6.5 inch, 100 tie-down nets at 7 inch, or if you're using 10 inch mesh you can have 150 nets. From March-June, only tie-down nets may be used.
Cashes remains closed.
No increase in the cod trip limit for the duration of this action
Open blocks 124 & 125 in January, February, and March
GOM hook limitss: 2,000 hooks, minimum size of 12/0 circle.
Keep 128 and 130 closed year-round, 124-125 in May, and 132-133 in June.