. . . Northeast Demersal Fisheries 



24 



INTRODUCTION 



the same nets, and are often composed of 

 different mixes by area and time of year. 

 Such interactions greatly complicate man- 

 agement. The complexity is reflected, for 

 example, in the need for differing restric- 

 tions on mesh sizes, gear types, minimum 

 fish sizes, and seasonal closures set by 

 such groups as the New England and Mid- 

 Atlantic Fishery Management Councils, At- 

 lantic States Marine Fisheries Commission 

 (ASMFC), state fishery agencies, and Ca- 

 nadian fishery management entities, be- 

 cause fish stocks often cross state and 

 international boundaries. New England 

 groundfish are managed primarily under 



the Northeast Multispecies Fisheries Man- 

 agement Plan (FMP) (13 species), as well 

 as peripherally under provisions of the 

 ASMFC Northern Shrimp Management 

 Plan. Mid-Atlantic groundfish are managed 

 under the Summer Flounder FMP. The 

 region's demersal fisheries are thus man- 

 aged indirectly regarding mesh sizes, min- 

 imum fish lengths, and some area 

 closures. No direct U.S. controls on 

 groundfish harvests (by catch quota, fish- 

 ing effort, or fishing vessel numbers) now 

 exist. Canada has established catch quotas 

 and limited entry for fishing vessels for its 

 portion of the transboundary fish stocks. 



SPECIES AND STATUS 



Principal Groundfish 

 and Flounders 



The principal groundfish and flounders 

 group includes important cod family mem- 

 bers (Atlantic cod, haddock, silver and red 

 hake, pollock), flounders (yellowtail, sum- 

 mer, winter, witch, and windowpane floun- 

 ders, and American plaice), and redfish 

 (Fig. 1-1 ). Recent annual commercial land- 

 ings of these 12 species have averaged 

 176,000 t, whereas their LTPY could be 

 nearly 400,000 t (Table 1 -1 ). Total value of 

 the principal groundfish and flounder com- 

 mercial landings in 1990 was $164 million. 

 The northeast groundfish group also sup- 

 ports important recreational fisheries for 

 summer and winter flounders, Atlantic cod, 



and other species. In 1990, recreational 

 landings of principal groundfish and floun- 

 der species were 1 1,700 t. The estimated 

 recreational fishing value of summer and 

 winter flounders (the two most important 

 of the principal groundfish and flounders) 

 was $196 million. 



The abundance index for this group de- 

 clined almost 70% between 1963 and 

 1974, reflecting the huge catch increases 

 by foreign fleets (Fig. 1-1). Many stocks 

 declined sharply in this group, notably 

 Georges Bank haddock, most silver and 

 red hake stocks, and most flounder stocks. 

 By 1974, abundance levels for many 



Figure 1-1— U.S. commercial 

 landings and abundance indices 

 for principal groundfish and 

 flounders off the New England 

 coast, 1960-90. Abundance 

 indices are mean weight (kg) per 

 tow taken in Northeast Fisheries 

 Science Center (NEFSC) autumn 

 bottom trawl surveys. Species 

 include: Atlantic cod, haddock, 

 pollock, redfish, silver, red, and 

 white hakes, American plaice, 

 and the yellowtail, winter, 

 windowpane, witch, and 

 summer flounders. 



Landings 



Abundance 



100 



1 ' ' I ' 

 1960 1966 



80 



60 



40 



< 



20 



1970 



1975 



1980 



1985 



1990 



