PORTLAND, Maine — The health of the Atlantic herring — a little forage fish that lives in massive schools that can number in the billions — is critical to the future of the New England fishing industry, and new steps need to be taken to ensure the strength of the fishery, regulators said.
So federal regulators are working on a plan to change the rules they use to set catch limits that make sure Atlantic herring aren't overfished. Herring are important because they are sold as food and used as bait, and they play a vital role in the food web of the Atlantic Ocean, where they serve as food for marine species ranging from cod to whales, regulators said.
The New England Fisheries Management Council is working on an amendment to the existing rules that is designed to make sure future catch limits are based on "scientific uncertainty" and the status of the herring stock, according to federal documents. The document is up for public comment now and could be approved sometime in the latter half of this year, said Lori Steele, a fishery analyst for the council.
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