Description: This layer shows Habitat Closure areas, or Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) areas for the Atlantic sea scallop fishery. EFH is defined as those waters and substrate necessary to fish for spawning, breeding, feeding, or growth to maturity. No vessel fishing for scallops, or person on a vessel fishing for scallops, may enter, fish in, or be in the EFH Closure Areas. This dataset is from NMFS and represents areas and regulations mandated in the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). This layer does not represent a legal definition of the Regulated Area. The description published in the CFR is the only legal definition.
Description: This layer shows Scallop Rotational Areas. Scallop Rotational Areas are designated by the Scallop FMP as an area in which the fishing, possession, and landing of sea scallops by vessels issued a scallop permit is prohibited. These areas are closed to protect small scallops and promote growth of the scallop resource and may become Scallop Access Areas when the condition of the scallop resource inside is more suitable for harvest. This dataset is from NMFS and represents areas and regulations mandated in the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). This layer does not represent a legal definition of the Regulated Area. The description published in the CFR is the only legal definition.
Description: This layer shows the Northern Gulf of Maine (NGOM) Management Area off the coast of Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts. Fishing or possession of scallops in this area is limited to 200 lbs. per trip. This dataset is from NMFS and represents areas and regulations mandated in the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). This layer does not represent a legal definition of the Regulated Area. The description published in the CFR is the only legal definition.
Description: This layer shows the area where chain-mat and the turtle deflector dredge gear are required for the fishing and harvesting of Atlantic sea scallops. The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) requires the use of this type of gear to help reduce mortality of endangered and threatened sea turtles from May 1 through November 30. The final rule issued by NMFS clarifies where on the dredge the chain mat must be hung. This dataset is from NMFS and represents areas and regulations mandated in the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). This layer does not represent a legal definition of the Regulated Area. The description published in the CFR is the only legal definition.
Description: This dataset depicts the boundaries of Atlantic Herring spawning areas which were designated by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC). The ASMFC was formed in the 1940s by the Atlantic coastal states to better manage migratory fish species populations. There are three inshore management Atlantic herring spawning areas in the northeast which are closed to herring fishing in the fall to protect spawning females. While actual closure dates depend on the detection of ripe females, the default closure dates may be in place on August 15th, September 1st, and September 21st for the Eastern Maine, Western Maine, and New Hampshire/Massachusetts spawning areas, respectively. Spawning areas were initially established in 2000 and have been subsequently revised.
Description: This layer shows the boundaries of the Atlantic Herring fishery management areas from Maine to Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. Herring is jointly managed in state and federal waters by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) and NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). This dataset is from NMFS and represents areas and regulations mandated in the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). This layer does not represent a legal definition of the Regulated Area. The description published in the CFR is the only legal definition.
Description: This layer shows the boundary that demarcates the Northern and Southern Monkfish Management Areas, extending south from Cape Cod and Nantucket and then east toward the Exclusive Economic Zone, for the purpose of managing the monkfish fishery in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. This dataset is from NMFS and represents areas and regulations mandated in the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). This layer does not represent a legal definition of the Regulated Area. The description published in the CFR is the only legal definition.
Description: This layer shows Habitat Closures areas, or Essential Fish Habitat (EFH). These areas are closed year-round, regardless of fishery, to any fishing with bottom tending mobile gear. There are seven areas offshore in New England on Georges Bank and in the Gulf of Maine including Western Gulf of Maine, Cashes Ledge, Jeffrey's Bank, Closed Area I - North, Closed area I - South, Closed Area II, and Nantucket Lightship. This dataset is from NMFS and represents areas and regulations mandated in the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). This layer does not represent a legal definition of the Regulated Area. The description published in the CFR is the only legal definition.
Description: This layer shows the five Northeast Multispecies Closed Areas (Closed Area I, Closed Area II, the Nantucket Lightship Closed Area, the Cashes Ledge Closed Area, and the Western Gulf of Maine Closed Area), which are closed to fishing in order to protect groundfish stocks. However, there are special programs that allow some fisheries, including groundfish, herring, surfclam/ocean quahog, and scallop to access some parts of these closed areas under certain conditions. Vessels may transit the areas that are closed provided that their fishing gear is stowed according to regulations. This dataset is from NMFS and represents areas and regulations mandated in the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). This layer does not represent a legal definition of the Regulated Area. The description published in the CFR is the only legal definition.
Description: This layer shows the Regulated Mesh Areas in Southern New England for the Northeast Multispecies fishery. Each mesh area has certain requirements for minimum mesh size, gear, and methods, unless otherwise exempted or prohibited. There are four regulated mesh areas for the Gulf of Maine, Georges Bank, Southern New England, and the Mid-Atlantic. This dataset is from NMFS and represents areas and regulations mandated in the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). This layer does not represent a legal definition of the Regulated Area. The description published in the CFR is the only legal definition.
Name: Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank Regulated Mesh Area
Display Field: AREANAME
Type: Feature Layer
Geometry Type: esriGeometryPolygon
Description: This layer shows the Regulated Mesh Areas in the Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank for the Northeast Multispecies fishery. Each mesh area has certain requirements for minimum mesh size, gear, and methods, unless otherwise exempted or prohibited. There are four regulated mesh areas for the Gulf of Maine, Georges Bank, Southern New England, and the Mid-Atlantic. This dataset is from NMFS and represents areas and regulations mandated in the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). This layer does not represent a legal definition of the Regulated Area. The description published in the CFR is the only legal definition.
Description: This layer shows the Regulated Mesh Areas in the Mid-Atlantic for the Northeast Multispecies fishery. Each mesh area has certain requirements for minimum mesh size, gear, and methods, unless otherwise exempted or prohibited. There are four regulated mesh areas for the Gulf of Maine, Georges Bank, Southern New England, and the Mid-Atlantic. This dataset is from NMFS and represents areas and regulations mandated in the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). This layer does not represent a legal definition of the Regulated Area. The description published in the CFR is the only legal definition.
Description: This layer shows Habitat Closures areas, or Essential Fish Habitat (EFH). These areas are closed year-round, regardless of fishery, to any fishing with bottom tending mobile gear. There are seven areas offshore in New England on Georges Bank and in the Gulf of Maine including Western Gulf of Maine, Cashes Ledge, Jeffrey's Bank, Closed Area I - North, Closed area I - South, Closed Area II, and Nantucket Lightship. This dataset is from NMFS and represents areas and regulations mandated in the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). This layer does not represent a legal definition of the Regulated Area. The description published in the CFR is the only legal definition.
Description: This layer shows the five Northeast Multispecies Closed Areas (Closed Area I, Closed Area II, the Nantucket Lightship Closed Area, the Cashes Ledge Closed Area, and the Western Gulf of Maine Closed Area), which are closed to fishing in order to protect groundfish stocks. However, there are special programs that allow some fisheries, including groundfish, herring, surfclam/ocean quahog, and scallop to access some parts of these closed areas under certain conditions. Vessels may transit the areas that are closed provided that their fishing gear is stowed according to regulations. This dataset is from NMFS and represents areas and regulations mandated in the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). This layer does not represent a legal definition of the Regulated Area. The description published in the CFR is the only legal definition.
Description: This layer depicts the boundaries of the Atlantic Surf Clam and Ocean Quahog Environmental Degradation Closures for the NOAA Fisheries Service’s Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office (GARFO). It includes five regulated areas which are off limits to surf clams and ocean quahogs due to the presence of harmful contaminants. The Georges Bank Closure was implemented in 1990 at the recommendation of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) after clams were found with high levels of the toxin that causes Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP). However in 2012, NMFS opened a portion of the Georges Bank Closure east of Cape Cod after ongoing testing demonstrated the shellfish are safe for human consumption. Other closures in this layer depict waste disposal sites for metropolitan areas. This dataset is from NMFS and represents areas and regulations mandated in the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). This layer does not represent a legal definition of the Regulated Area. The description published in the CFR is the only legal definition.
Description: This layer shows the boundaries of the Maine Mahogany Quahog Zone in Maine's northeastern coastal waters, where the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has implemented regulations governing the harvest and landing of mahogany quahogs. This dataset is from NMFS and represents areas and regulations mandated in the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). This layer does not represent a legal definition of the Regulated Area. The description published in the CFR is the only legal definition.
Description: This layer shows the management areas for the American Lobster fishery, which extends from Maine to Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. There are seven Lobster Conservation Management Areas, which are labeled as Area 1, Area 2, Area 3, Area 4, Area 5, Area 6, and Outer Cape Cod Area. A permit holder had to demonstrate trap fishing history in a particular area to hold a permit and continue fishing with traps in that area. Lobster does not require VMS, and the management areas are included for lobster bycatch rules. The American lobster resource and fishery are cooperatively managed by the states and the National Marine Fisheries Service under the framework of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission. This dataset is from NMFS and represents areas and regulations mandated in the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). This layer does not represent a legal definition of the Regulated Area. The description published in the CFR is the only legal definition.