Gulf of Maine/Georges Bank Dogfish Gillnet Fishery Exemption Area
Exempted fisheries allow vessels to fish for specific species without being subject to certain northeast (NE) multispecies regulations, including days-at-sea, provided the bycatch of regulated species is minimal. This is a seasonal exemption area for vessels in the spiny dogfish fishery using gillnet gear.
Area
This exemption area (as seen above) is defined by the Atlantic coastline, and straight lines connecting the following points in the order stated below:
| N. Latitude | W. Longitude |
|---|---|
| 41°35’ | 70°00’ |
| 42°49.5’ | 70°00’ |
| 42°49.5’ | 69°40’ |
| 43°12’ | 69°00’ |
| Maine Shoreline | 69°00’ |
Season
July 1 through August 31.
Gear
This are does not exempt vessels from the minimum gillnet mesh size of 6.5-inch diamond mesh throughout the net, but does exempt the vessel from the other Northeast multispecies gear requirements of the Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank Regulated Mesh Areas.
Again, vessels fishing under this exemption are restricted to using gillnets with a minimum mesh size of 6.5 inches (diamond) throughout the net.
Requirements
A vessel fishing under this exemption may not fish for, possess on board, or land any species of fish other than dogfish, and/or American lobsters (up to 10 percent by weight of all other species on board, or 200 lobsters, whichever is less).
Note: Unless fishing exclusively in state waters, to land and possess dogfish, vessels are required to obtain a federal dogfish permit and adhere to any applicable dogfish regulation.