PORTLAND, Maine - Federal fishing regulators are planning a host of changes to the quota limits of several important New England fish, including cod.
New England fishermen search for cod in two key fishing areas, Georges Bank and the Gulf of Maine. Regulators have enacted a series of cutbacks to the cod quota in those areas in recent years as cod stocks have dwindled.
This year, regulators want to trim the Georges Bank cod quota by 13 percent and keep Gulf of Maine's quota the same. They also want to keep the Georges Bank haddock quota about the same and enact a 25 percent increase for the Gulf of Maine haddock quota. Changes are also planned for some flounder species.
The National Marine Fisheries Service is collecting comments about the proposal until Friday.