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Small Mesh Exemption Areas 1 and 2
Area: Small Mesh Areas 1 and 2 (as seen above) are defined by straight lines connecting the following points in the order stated below:
Small Mesh Area 1 | |
N. Latitude | W. Longitude |
43°03’ | 70°27’ |
42°57’ | 70°22’ |
42°47’ | 70°32’ |
42°45’ | 70°29’ |
42°43’ | 70°32’ |
42°44’ | 70°39’ |
42°49’ | 70°43’ |
42°50’ | 70°41’ |
42°53’ | 70°43’ |
42°55’ | 70°40’ |
42°59’ | 70°32’ |
Note: Portions of Small Mesh Area 1 fall within the state jurisdictions of Massachusetts and New Hampshire. When fishing in state waters, a Federally permitted vessel is subject to the more restrictive of Federal or state regulations.
Small Mesh Area 2 | |
N. Latitude | W. Longitude |
43°05.6’ | 69°55’ |
43°10.1’ | 69°43.3’ |
42°49.5’ | 69°40’ |
42°41.5’ | 69°40’ |
42°36.6’ | 69°55’ |
43°05.6’ | 69°55’ |
Note: Portions of Small Mesh Area 2 are affected by Inshore Closure Areas and are thus closed during these time periods.
Seasons:
Small Mesh Area 1 Season: July 15 – November 15.
Small Mesh Area 2 Season: January 1 – June 30.
Gear: A trawl vessel is required to use a raised footrope trawl when fishing in Small Mesh Areas 1 and 2, depending on the species of fish targeted. A description of the raised footrope trawl can be found in 'Gear' tab of the 'Commercial' section of the Whiting Species Page.
Possession Limits:
- Red Hake: 3,000 lb
- The Whiting (Silver hake and offshore hake combined) possession limit is dependent on the mesh size being fished:
- Mesh < 2.5 inches: 3,500 lb
- 2.5 ≤ Mesh < 3.0 inches: 7,500 lb
- Mesh ≥ 3.0 inches: 30,000 lb
Note: Possession limits may be reduced to 2,000 lb for whiting and 400 lb for red hake if the in-season possession limit triggers are reached.
Additional Incidental Species Allowed: While fishing in these exemption areas, vessels may not fish for, possess on board, or land any species of fish other than small-mesh multispecies (hakes) and the following species as incidental catch:
- Butterfish;
- Spiny dogfish;
- Atlantic herring;
- Atlantic mackerel;
- Scup; and
- Squid