NMFS Proposes Update to Harbor Porpoise Take Reduction Plan Regulations

Summary

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is proposing to update the regulations for the Harbor Porpoise Take Reduction Plan, which aims to reduce the number of harbor porpoises caught in New England's sink gillnets. The proposed rule would eliminate a strategy that was introduced in 2010, as it no longer accurately reflects the actual bycatch rates due to changes in fishing practices.