Age Determination Methods for Northwest Atlantic Species
This manual documents age determination techniques used by staff at the Woods Hole Laboratory to…
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U.S. wild-caught butterfish is a smart seafood choice because it is sustainably managed and responsibly harvested under U.S. regulations.
Above target population level.
At recommended levels.
Fishing gears used to harvest butterfish have minimal impacts on habitat.
Regulations limit possession of bycatch species and require modified fishing gear to reduce bycatch.
2020 | |
---|---|
OFL | 39,592 |
ABC = ACL | 32,063 |
Commercial ACT (ABC minus management uncertainty buffers for each year) | 28,857 |
DAH (ACT minus butterfish cap and discards) | 23,752 |
Directed Fishery closure limit (DAH minus 1,000 mt incidental landings buffer) | 22,752 |
Butterfish Mortality Cap (in the longfin squid fishery) | 3,884 |
Permit Type |
Possession Limit |
SMB 6 Butterfish | Unlimited/5,000 lb* |
SMB 3 Squid/Butterfish Incidental | 600 lb |
*See gear restrictions section of this page.
Minimum fish size: Not applicable
Maximum fish size: Not applicable
These accountability measures are only for the SMB 1 permit
1,411 mt less than 100% |
5,000 lb per trip |
100% |
600 lb per trip |
If the butterfish ACL is exceeded, then the exact amount of the overage will be deducted from the butterfish ACL by March 31 of the following year as a single-year adjustment.
Owner/operators participating in the Atlantic mackerel, Illex squid, and Longfin squid/butterfish must submit trip reports weekly. Reports must be postmarked or received by midnight of the Tuesday following the reporting week (Sunday through Saturday). If a trip starts in one week, and offloads in the next, it should be reported in the week the catch was offloaded.
The Atlantic mackerel, squid, and butterfish fisheries do not have any IVR requirements. However, if you are participating in a research program such as research set-aside (RSA) or fishing with an exempted fishing permit (EFP), there are IVR requirements. Please refer to your RSA or EFP paperwork for instruction on using IVR.
Copies of fishing log reports must be kept on board the vessel and available for review for at least one year, and must be retained for a total of three years after the date the fish were last possessed, landed, and sold.
Vessels fishing with otter trawl gear that possess 5,000 lb or more of butterfish, must use nets that have a minimum codend mesh of 3 inches (76 mm) mesh, inside stretch measure, applied throughout the codend for at least 100 continuous meshes forward of the end of the net. For codends with less than 100 meshes, one-third of the net must have a minimum mesh of 3 inches, measured from the back of the codend to the headrope.
Oceanographer Canyon |
Lydonia Canyon |
Northern Scup Gear Restricted Area (GRA) |
Southern Scup Gear Restricted Area (GRA) |
January 1 – December 31 |
January 1 – December 31 |
November 1 – December 31 |
January 1 – March 15 |
Bottom trawl gear prohibited |
Bottom trawl gear prohibited |
Minimum mesh size of 5.0 inch diamond mesh |
Minimum mesh size of 5.0 inch diamond mesh |
Transit allowed if bottom trawl gear is stowed and not available for immediate use. |
Transit allowed if bottom trawl gear is stowed and not available for immediate use. |
Transit allowed if codends less than 5.0 inches are stowed and not available for immediate use. |
Transit allowed if codends less than 5.0 inches are stowed and not available for immediate use. |
*Coordinates for each area are listed below.
N. Lat. |
W. Long. |
40°10.0' |
68°12.0' |
40°24.0' |
68°09.0' |
40°24.0' |
68°08.0' |
40°10.0' |
67°59.0' |
40°10.0' |
68°12.0' |
N. Lat. |
W. Long. |
40°16.0' |
67°34.0' |
40°16.0' |
67°42.0' |
40°20.0' |
67°43.0' |
40°27.0' |
67°40.0' |
40°27.0' |
67°38.0' |
40°16.0' |
67°34.0' |
Southern GRA |
|
Northern GRA |
||
N. lat. |
W. long. |
N. lat. |
W. long. |
|
39°20' |
72°53' |
41°00' |
71°00' |
|
39°20' |
72°28' |
41°00' |
71°30' |
|
38°00' |
73°58' |
40°00' |
72°40' |
|
37°00' |
74°43' |
40°00' |
72°05' |
|
36°30' |
74°43' |
41°00' |
71°00' |
|
36°30' |
75°03' |
|
|
|
37°00' |
75°03' |
|
|
|
38°00' |
74°23' |
|
|
|
39°20' |
72°53' |
|
|
This manual documents age determination techniques used by staff at the Woods Hole Laboratory to…