CONTACT: Renee Zobel: (603) 868-1095 Cheri Patterson: (603) 868-1095 September 17, 2021

Durham, NH – The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s (ASMFC) Atlantic Herring Management Board will conduct a conference call on September 24, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. to set the ‘Days Out’ for this year’s Season 2 period of October 1 through December 31. The public is invited to join the meeting by dialing (872) 240-3412 and entering access code 517-895-485 or by using the following link: https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/517895485.

The 2021 Area 1A allowable catch was set at 1,453 metric tons with seasonal quotas of 72.8% available from June 1 through September 30 and 27.2% available from October 1 through December 31.

Atlantic herring harvesters and dealers should also know that the Massachusetts/New Hampshire Spawning Area, which includes areas within the jurisdiction of New Hampshire, will be closed from 12:01 a.m. on September 23, 2021, through 11:59 p.m. on November 3, 2021, pursuant to Fis 603.07. It is unlawful to fish for, take, or possess unprocessed herring during this closure.

An exception to the rule is that any vessel may land herring taken as an incidental catch in the Massachusetts/New Hampshire Spawning Area or in Management Area 1A, with a maximum of up to 2,000 pounds per calendar day. This does not prevent the landing of Atlantic herring taken from an area not under a closure or restriction provided the vessel is equipped with a functional vessel monitoring system.

This spawning closure may be extended by the Executive Director if results of the herring samples collected at the end of the closure indicate spawning is ongoing.

ASFMC coordinates the conservation and management of the 15 Atlantic coast states’ shared near-shore fishery resources—marine, shell, and anadromous—for sustainable use. Visit www.asmfc.org.

The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department is the guardian of the state’s marine, fish, and wildlife resources and their habitats. The Department’s Marine Fisheries Division is located in Durham, NH. Visit www.wildnh.com/marine for more information.