Feds Take Last of Comments on Plan to Ban Cod Fish Retention

PORTLAND, Maine - The federal government is done taking comments about plans to change the recreational fishing rules for cod and haddock.
 
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is looking to prohibit retention of cod all year long. Recreational fishermen would be allowed to keep up to 12 legal-sized haddock per day.
 
The government is accepting comments about the proposal until Friday.
 
Cod and haddock are caught commercially and recreationally off New England and are used to make fish and chips. Commercial catch of cod has fallen from more than 19 million pounds (8 million kilograms) in 2009 to less than 3.4 million pounds (1 million kilograms) in 2015.
 
 The commercial catch of haddock has been steadier. Fishermen caught a little less than 13 million pounds (5 million kilograms) of the fish in 2009 and a little less than 12 million pounds (5 million kilograms) in 2015.