Regulators To Vote On 2015 Cod Fishing Rules

Federal fishery regulators might set rules for the badly declined Gulf of Maine cod fishery this week.

The New England Fishery Management Council is meeting Monday through Thursday in Newport, Rhode Island to set rules for the coming fishing season that begins in May. Cod are expected to come up for discussion on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The meeting comes in the wake of an announcement from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that closed commercial and recreational cod fishing in parts of the Gulf of Maine. The six-month emergency restrictions include a 200-pound limit on how much a fishing vessel can catch during a single trip.

New England seafood dealers say the restrictions will likely make local cod more expensive. Regulators have said the cod population is dangerously low.