Annual Quota for Maine Mahogany Quahog Fishery Exhausted, Commercial Fishing Restricted

Summary

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has announced that the annual quota for the Maine mahogany quahog fishery has been fully harvested, prompting a restriction on commercial fishing in the affected area until December 31, 2006. This closure applies to vessels with a limited access permit, but not those fishing under an ocean quahog individual transferable quota (ITQ).