PORTLAND (AP) — The New England Fishery Management Council will spend $800,000 to research new methods to prevent the bycatch ”“ or unintentional catching ”“ of groundfish such as haddock, cod and flounder.
The council approved the funding for the research program on Wednesday. Bycatch is the segment of a commercial fishing haul that is made up of animals caught unintentionally.
The research program will seek to find new ways to increase catch of haddock without impacting cod, yellowtail flounder and windowpane flounder. The council said in a statement that the work will also help develop new gear to minimize flatfish bycatch. It will also help prioritize fisheries according to current stock status.
The fishery management council manages fishery resources off the coasts of the five coastal New England states.
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