New England fishery managers voted Tuesday in favor of deep cuts in the amount of herring that can be caught next year, as a precaution to protect the small but important fish.
The 45 percent reduction from the 2009 catch limit is sure to take a toll on the herring fleet and on the lobster industry, which relies on an abundant supply of the silvery fish to bait millions of traps.
"What we're trying to do is balance out the precaution that the science is advising with the severe socio-economic impacts these cuts are going to have, not just in Maine but multiple states," said Terry Stockwell, director of external affairs for the Maine Department of Marine Resources and a member of the New England Fishery Management Council.
"It's not as bad as it could have been, but it's going to have significant impacts on revenues for the state of Maine's purse seine fishery, bait dealers and lobstermen," Stockwell said.
The council voted Tuesday during a meeting in Newport, R.I., to limit the overall herring catch to 109,000 metric tons for the next three years, down from a 194,000-ton limit this year, Stockwell said. It voted to limit the area along the Maine coast to 26,546 metric tons next year, he said.
The new limits are expected to be approved by the National Marine Fisheries Service this winter and take effect in early 2010.
Herring caught along the Maine coast is the primary bait for the state's $244 million lobster industry, although some lobstermen use menhaden, redfish and other bait. A smaller portion of the herring catch is used for canned sardines and other processed fish products.
Catches along the Maine coast have been declining since 2006, when the area's limit was 60,000 metric tons. That has fueled a steady rise in bait prices at a time when lobstermen are getting lower-than-usual prices for their catches.
Now, lobstermen are bracing for a potential bait shortage, and higher prices, next year.
"The question is, are we going to have enough supply for people to fish consistently and are Maine lobstermen going to be able to afford it?" said Patrice McCarron, executive director of the Maine Lobstermen's Association.
Herring catch limits are almost always contentious because of their economic importance and because herring are an important food source for a variety of fish and marine mammals, including cod, tuna, striped bass and whales.
Scientists called for the new catch limits because of uncertainty about the health of the population.
The herring and lobster industries, along with New England state officials and congressional representatives, have been urging federal scientists to do another population assessment as soon as possible so the catches aren't limited unnecessarily.
Staff Writer John Richardson can be contacted at 791-6324 or at: jrichardson@pressherald.com
Reader comments
Click here to view or add comments on this story
Were you interviewed for this story? If so, please fill out our accuracy form