The New England Fishery Management Council has scheduled eight listening sessions to solicit public comment on whether it should develop a limited access program for the recreational party/charter boat fishery under the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan, better known as the groundfish plan.  This is our opportunty to voice cocerns over the program and provide valuable feedback.  Please checkout the in person sessions or provide feedback through the links in the offical release below.

Seven in-person sessions will be held April 4 through May 9 from Maine to New Jersey, and a final webinar will be held on May 10 for anyone who could not attend an in-person session or who has additional comments to offer. Council Executive Director Tom Nies said, “We’re going out on the road to listen to what people have to say. The Council has not made a decision yet about whether or not it will pursue limited access. We know the recreational fishery has many differing opinions about this issue, so before we begin to sketch out the details of a limited access program in an amendment to the groundfish plan, we first want to hear from impacted fishermen about whether or not they want us to embark down this road.”

What Does the Council Want to Know? Fishermen are encouraged to offer opinions and perspective on the following issues, as well as any others of interest. • Is a limited access program for the party/charter fishery warranted and/or desirable? • What should the goals and objectives of the program be? • Should there be an open access component for the for-hire fleet? • What would happen to vessel permits under a limited access program? • Should there be restrictions? • What management measures should be considered? • Should catch shares be part of the program? • How should history in the fishery be considered?

For additional detail see official release: 

https://s3.amazonaws.com/nefmc.org/Groundfish-PartyCharter-Fishery-Listening-Sessions.pdf