The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is considering a request for an Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP) that would allow fishing boats to operate outside the usual fishery regulations. This permit, requested by the Northeast Seafood Coalition in partnership with Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries, aims to study the effectiveness of cod protection areas and gather biological data on cod. The project will also help fishermen access underutilized groundfish stocks while ensuring that cod spawning thresholds are not exceeded. Public comments on the proposal are welcome until April 28, 2025.
Simple Explanation
The people who look after fish rules are thinking about giving special permission to some fishermen to catch fish in a different way, so they can learn more about a fish called cod. They'd like to hear from folks about this idea until the end of April 2025.