HYANNIS – NOAA Fisheries will be paying for all at-sea monitoring costs for fishing in 2018.
All groundfish sector trips beginning on or after May 1 that were selected for at-sea monitoring coverage will be eligible for reimbursement.
The industry will also be reimbursed for an additional 25 percent of their monitoring costs in 2017, bringing that year’s total reimbursement up to 85 percent.
The reimbursement was provided by Congress through a Fiscal Year 2018 funding increase for groundfish at-sea monitoring.
At-sea monitoring in the Northeast groundfish fishery is essential to the success and sustainability of the fishery.
NOAA continues to monitor its programs in the region to ensure that scientific and management needs are met, along with finding ways to more effectively and efficiently collect the data required while respecting fishing vessel operations and business practices.