CONTACT:
Renee Zobel: (603) 868-1095
September 22, 2025

Durham, NH – On September 18, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Atlantic Herring Management Board (the Management Board) set the ‘Days Out’ for the Season 2 period (October 1–December 31) via conference call. The 2025 Area 1A allowable catch was set at 783 metric tons (mt), however an overage in the season 1 (June 1 – September 30) has closed the 1A fishery and it will not reopen unless there is a reallocation of 1,000 metric tons to the Area 1A sub-ACL based on catch information from the Canadian New Brunswick weir fishery. There is also potential for revised quotas that may be implemented by NOAA Fisheries.

The days out measures for Season 2 are as follows:

  • Landing days will be set at zero from October 1 through November 4.
  • If 1,000 mt is reallocated to Area 1A by October 31, the fishery will move to 2 consecutive landing days starting at 12:01 a.m. on Wednesday, November 5, until 92% of the Area 1A sub-ACL has been caught. Landing days would be Wednesdays from 12:01 a.m. through Thursdays at 11:59 p.m., weekly.
  • If the revised higher quotas have been implemented by October 31, but there has not been a 1,000 mt reallocation, the fishery will move to 1 landing day starting at 12:01 a.m. on Wednesday, November 5 until 92% of the Area 1A sub-ACL has been caught. The weekly landing day would be Wednesday.
  • If the revised higher quotas have not been implemented and there has not been a 1,000 mt reallocation by October 31, landing days will remain at zero from November 5 onward. If there is a subsequent change in available Area 1A quota, then another Days Out call will be scheduled.

These restrictions will remain in effect until 92% of the Total Allowable Catch in Area 1A is projected to be exceeded, or until further amended.

Atlantic herring harvesters and dealers should also be aware that the Massachusetts/New Hampshire Spawning Area, which includes areas within the jurisdiction of New Hampshire, will be closed from 12:01 a.m. on September 23 through 11:59 p.m. on November 3 (pursuant to Fis 603.07). It is unlawful to fish for, take, or possess unprocessed herring during this closure.

An exception to the rule is that any vessel may land herring taken as an incidental catch in the Massachusetts/New Hampshire Spawning Area or in Management Area 1A, up to a maximum of 2,000 pounds per calendar day. This does not prevent the landing of Atlantic herring taken from an area not under a closure or restriction provided the vessel is equipped with a functional vessel monitoring system.

This spawning closure may be extended by the Executive Director of the Management Board if results of the herring samples collected at the end of the closure indicate spawning is ongoing.

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission coordinates the conservation and management of the 15 Atlantic coast states’ shared near-shore fishery resources—marine, shell and anadromous—for sustainable use. Visit www.asmfc.org to learn more.

The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department is the guardian of the state’s marine, fish and wildlife resources and their habitats. The Department’s Marine Fisheries Division is located in Durham, N.H. Visit www.wildnh.com/marine.