Background

Historically the Gulf of Maine was home to some of the most productive and famous fishing grounds in New England. The cod fishery in Maine and Massachusetts ranked among the richest in the world. Unfortunately due mostly to overfishing, habitat loss, and effects of regulations, landings have declined by nearly 91% between 1990 and 1999, from 17,781 metric tons to 1,636 metric tons. Federal and state regulations have been implemented to try and reverse this trend and include increased minimum size requirements, increased trawl mesh size, daily catch limits, permit restrictions, and rolling area closures. This cod fishery has changed from the most productive in the world to one of the most heavily regulated. Can these regulations provide the Atlantic Cod a future in the Gulf of Maine?

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