PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says there will be no legal possession of cod for recreational fishermen in the Gulf of Maine this year.
Cod is an iconic fish in New England, but catch of it has plummeted in recent years. NOAA said on Thursday that the rule barring recreational possession of the fish in the Gulf of Maine was effective immediately.
Commercial catch of cod fell from more than 30 million pounds in 1995 to less than 3.4 million pounds in 2015.
NOAA also says it’s allowing recreational fishermen to possess up to 12 haddock per day in the Gulf of Maine. The open season for the fish runs from May 1 to Sept. 16, Nov. 1 to Feb. 28 and April 15-30.
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