Science & Data

This dataset depicts the boundaries of the South Island Restricted Area in effect annually from February 1-April 30 in ESRI shapefile format for the NOAA Fisheries’ Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office (GARFO).

*NOTE: On March 14, 2024, Judge Young of the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts ruled that the Consolidated Appropriation Act, 2023, bars the Final Wedge Rule until December 31, 2028. The Court determined that the rule is "void and unenforceable." NMFS is reviewing the decision. This dataset depicts the boundaries of the Massachusetts Restricted Area in effect annually from February 1 to April 30 in ESRI shapefile format for the NOAA Fisheries Service’s Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office (GARFO).

This dataset depicts the boundaries of the Lobster Management Area One Restricted Area in effect annually from October 1 to January 31 in ESRI shapefile format for the NOAA Fisheries Service’s Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office (GARFO).

This dataset depicts the boundaries of the Great South Channel Restricted Area in effect from April 1 to June 30 annually in ESRI shapefile format for the NOAA Fisheries Service’s Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office (GARFO).

Fishermen must remove all trap/pot gear from this area and not set new gear in this area from February 1 to April 30, 2023. This restricted area was also in effect April 1-30, 2022.

Two new restricted areas were added in the 2021 amendments to the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan, and two others were modified.