How to Request Samples from the Age-Structure Archive
Guidance for requesting a loan of age structures from the Northeast Fisheries Science Center's…
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Ocean quahogs are distributed from Newfoundland to Cape Hatteras, NC. The U.S. fishery focuses on two regions: Maine and Long Island, New York. Dredge and hand harvest are authorized in the commercial fishery, with hydraulic clam dredges being the primary gear type used. The recreational fishery is limited to hand harvest. Ocean quahogs are generally processed for human consumption in soups, chowders, and stews; while a small portion of landings are also sold in the bait market. U.S. wild-caught ocean quahog is a smart seafood choice because it is sustainably managed and responsibly harvested under U.S. regulations. Implementing regulations are found at 50 CFR part 648 subpart E.
Above target population level.
At recommended level.
Fishing gear used to harvest quahogs has minimal impacts on habitat.
Fishing gear used to harvest quahogs is designed to minimize bycatch.
There are currently no recreational regulations for the ocean quahog fishery. Check state regulations for possible additional restrictions. There may also be areas closed to the harvesting of ocean quahogs.
Recreational anglers must still comply with minimum fish size regulations for all recreational fisheries. Visit our permit office or recreational fishing pages for more information.
This is not applicable for the ocean quahog fishery. Visit the Greater Atlantic Region's recreational fishing page for more information about recreational reporting in general.
There are no specified possession or trip limits in the ocean quahog fishery. Instead, catch is limited on an annual basis according to each individual fishing quota (IFQ) holder’s annual allocation. Each permit holder essentially has their own personal quota/limit for the year, and the rate at which they harvest it is up to them.
There are no size limits in the ocean quahog fishery.
Acceptable Biological Catch (ABC) | 44,695 mt |
---|---|
Annual Catch Limit (ACL) | 44,695 mt |
Annual Catch Target (ACT) | 25,924 mt |
Commercial Quota | Maine quota: 100,000 Maine bu; Non-Maine quota: 5.33 million bu |
The annual quota for harvest of mahogany quahogs from within the Maine mahogany quahog zone is 100,000 Maine bushels (1 Maine bushel = 1.2445 ft3). This quota may be revised annually.
The owner or operator of any vessel issued an ocean quahog permit must maintain on board the vessel and submit to NOAA Fisheries an accurate ocean quahog report for all fishing trips. Ocean quahog reports must be postmarked or received within 3 days after the end of each reporting week. More information on Atlantic Surfclam/Ocean Quahog Fishery Trip Reporting, please see our FAQ tab on the topic.
Additionally, if species other than Atlantic surfclam or ocean quahog are being retained on a trip, an additional VTR must be submitted to NOAA Fisheries as well. More information and instructions for completing VTRs can be found on our region's reporting page.
Any vessel issued an ocean quahog permit is required to have an operational VMS. More information on VMS position reporting for this fishery can be found on our Surfclam/Quahog Reporting FAQ tab.
The ocean quahog fishery does not have any Interactive Voice Response (IVR) or specific observer requirements. However, all federally permitted vessels are obligated to carry an observer if randomly selected by the National Observer Program.
There are no specific gear requirements in the ocean quahog fishery. However, all vessels issued a federal permit for the fishery and using cages must tag all cages that contain surfclams or ocean quahogs before offloading with a valid tag.
At the beginning of each fishing year, the approved vendor for cage tags is announced, and each individual fishing quota (IFQ) allocation permit is issued instructions for ordering the appropriate cage tags. The number of tags authorized for each permit holder is based on the owner's initial allocation and any allocation received through transfers. Each tag represents 32 bushels of clams.
A tag must be fixed on or as near as possible to the upper crossbar of the cage, and is required for every 60 ft3 (1,700 L) of cage volume, or portion thereof. The tag or tags must not be removed until the cage is emptied by the processor; at which time the processor must promptly remove and retain the tag(s) for 60 days beyond the end of the calendar year, unless otherwise directed by authorized law enforcement agents. If a vessel fishing under an IFQ allocation is not a capable of carrying cages, it must offload unshucked surfclams or ocean quahogs into properly tagged cages.
Tags expire at the end of the fishing year for which they are issued. If your tags are lost or stolen, you must notify NOAA Fisheries, with the number of the lost/stolen tags, by telephone at 978-281-9177 as soon as the loss or theft is discovered and in writing within 24 hours. After a report is received, the reported tags are no longer valid for use. Lost or stolen tags may be replaced if the proper notice was provided. Replacement tags may be purchased from the vendor with a written authorization from NOAA Fisheries.
Fishing vessels with a permit for surf clams and/or ocean quahogs issued by NOAA Fisheries' Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office (GARFO) must report every fishing trip in one of the two following ways. This includes trips within state waters and trips targeting other species.
Q: If I'm fishing in federal waters harvesting clams under an ITQ permit, which form do I use?
A: Use the clam logbook to report these trips
Q: If I'm fishing under an ITQ permit, do I have to report any whelks, scallops or other species that I catch?
A: Yes, report any other species that you catch on a VTR. This is in addition to reporting in the clam logbook.
Q: If I'm fishing in state waters and using state-issued tags, do I need to report to NOAA/GARFO?
A: Yes, report these trips using the VTR form. States may also have additional reporting requirements, so check with your state marine fisheries agency.
Q: Do all species caught from state water trips need to be reported?
A: Yes, report all species caught on the VTR form.
Q: If my boat is in another fishery, do I still have to report to NOAA/GARFO?
A: Yes, report all fishing trips as required under a surfclam and ocean quahog permit.
Q: If I do not fish, do I still have to report?
Q: When are reports due to NOAA/GARFO?
A: Clam logbook reports for ITQ trips are due by the first Tuesday following the week the trip(s) occurred. If the vessel also holds a Northeast multispecies, Atlantic herring or any Atlantic mackerel, longfin squid, lllex squid, or butterfish permits, VTRs are due at the same time. All other VTRs are due within 15 days of the end of the month in which the trip(s) occurred.
Q: Do these requirements apply to the Maine mahogany quahog fishery?
A: Yes, like the ITQ fishery, you must report your catch of ocean quahogs on the clam logbook, and any other species on a VTR.
All surfclam and/or ocean quahog ITQ vessels (SF-1 and OQ-6 permits) must have a Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) that is transmitting positions at all times unless on an approved power down exemption. This applies to Maine Mahogany Quahog vessels (OQ-7) as well.
Q: If my vessel is fishing in a non-ITQ fishery, such as inside state waters, does my VMS unit need to be turned on?
A: Yes, it must be on and transmitting 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, regardless of fishing activity.
Q: How do I obtain a power down exemption?
A: You may obtain a power down exemption form by contacting our Office of Law Enforcement's VMS team at 978-281-9213 or online on our enforcement page. You may also contact your local port agent for assistance.
Q: Where can I find information describing these requirements?
A: For more information on VMS, visit our region's VMS reporting page. Check the Atlantic Surfclam and Ocean Quahog Fishery Management Plan for more information. You may also contact Doug Potts, Sustainable Fisheries Division, at (978) 281-9341.
The ocean quahog fishery is managed by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, with NOAA Fisheries serving as the implementing body for rules and regulations within the fishery. This fishery was established in 1977, and with the exception of the Maine mahogany quahog zone portion of the fishery, has operated under an individual transferable quota (ITQ) management system since 1990.
The fishing year runs from January 1 through December 31, with NOAA Fisheries jurisdiction covering from Maine to Cape Hatteras, North Carolina.
There are five areas closed to harvesting of ocean quahogs.
Maine Mahogany Quahog Zone
U.S. waters north of 43°50' N. latitude is defined in the surfclam/ocean quahog fishery as the Maine mahogany quahog zone. This is the area designated for the Maine Mahogany Quahog Fishery, which operates under a separate limited access permit, and has some additional and different regulations than the rest of the EEZ. See specifications below and the Commercial Fishing tab for more information on the Maine mahogany quahog fishery.
The Ocean Quahog Fishery Management Plan (FMP) requires the annual specification of catch and harvest limits for up to three years at a time. If specifications are not in place at the start of the fishing year, the existing specifications roll over until new regulations are finalized.
Acceptable Biological Catch (ABC) | 44,695 mt |
---|---|
Annual Catch Limit (ACL) | 44,695 mt |
Annual Catch Target (ACT) | 25,924 mt |
Commercial Quota | Maine quota: 100,000 Maine bu; Non-Maine quota: 5.33 million bu |
The annual quota for harvest of mahogany quahogs from within the Maine mahogany quahog zone is 100,000 Maine bushels (1 Maine bushel = 1.2445 ft3). This quota may be revised annually.
There are provisions for the closing or opening of areas inseason, pending review.
If the ACL for ocean quahog is exceeded, and the overage can be attributed to one or more ITQ allocation holder(s), the full amount of the overage will be deducted from the appropriate ITQ allocation in the following fishing year. Any amount of an ACL overage that cannot be otherwise attributed to an ITQ allocation holder will be deducted from the ACL in the following fishing year.
If the Maine mahogany quahog ACL is exceeded, and the Maine mahogany quahog fishery is responsible for the overage, then the Maine fishery ACT shall be reduced in the following year by an amount equal to the ACL overage.
The most recent stock assessment update for ocean quahog was in 2017, where the stock was declared not overfished and overfishing was not occurring. The next assessment for ocean quahog is scheduled for 2020.
Spawning Stock Biomass (SSB) | 3.287 million mt (2016) |
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SSBThreshold | 1.607 million mt |
SSB/SSBThreshold | 2.04 |
Overfished Definition | The stock is overfished when B < 2/5 of B1978 (virgin biomass) |
Overfished? | No |
Fishing Mortality Rate (F) | 0.005 (2016) |
FThreshold | 0.020 |
F/FThreshold | 0.246 |
Overfishing Definition | Overfishing occurs when F > FMSY; where FMSY= F45% |
Overfishing? | No |
Current Rebuilding Program? | No. Declared rebuilt. |
Next Stock Assessment | Assessment scheduled for 2020 |
Guidance for requesting a loan of age structures from the Northeast Fisheries Science Center's…