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GARFO » Sustainable Fisheries » Whiting, Other Hakes

Small Mesh Exemption Areas 1 and 2

Small Mesh Areas 1 and 2 Map

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:

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: