Big Changes Could be Coming to East Coast Herring Fishery

Source: NOAA

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Federal fishing regulators are considering changing the way they manage one of the largest fisheries on the East Coast to better account for its impact on the environment and other industries.

The regulatory New England Fishery Management Council has released a group of alternatives for how it could change management of Atlantic herring. The small, schooling fish are harvested from Maine to Florida and are used for fish oil, food for humans and bait for fishermen.

The proposed changes could alter where fishermen are allowed to pursue herring, and what kind of gear they can use.

The council voted Tuesday to send the proposal out for public comment. The council says public hearings will be held in early 2018 and a final decision will be made later in the year.

Local fishermen have expressed concern in recent years about larger trawlers scooping up the herring close to shore.