PORTLAND, Maine — Federal regulators are reducing the number of days fishermen can fish for Atlantic herring off of Maine, Massachusetts and New Hampshire.
The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission's Atlantic Herring Section's members from the three states say vessels may fish for Atlantic herring for four days weekly, from 12:01 a.m. Monday until midnight Thursday. Fishermen had previously been able to fish for herring for seven days. The restrictions apply in a section of the inshore Gulf of Maine that is heavily fished for herring. The rules apply to the end of the calendar year.
Spawning areas off of the western Maine coast, New Hampshire and Massachusetts are also closed until later this month. The Maine areas are closed until Oct. 21 and the New Hampshire and Massachusetts waters until Oct. 18.