Skate Trip Limit Research Fleet
GENERAL DESCRIPTION:
For several years, the skate wing fishery quota has been left underutilized, while exporters have struggled to fulfill market demand for skate wings. To address this, participating vessels will be fishing under an Exempted Fishing Permit which allows them to exceed the current federal trip landing limit for skate wings by 3,000 pounds for a set number of trips through the 2025 fishing year, which ends in April 2026. For all large mesh gillnet trips targeting skate, participating vessels will be collecting summary trip data on their catch and effort to quantify the economic and ecological benefits and consequences of an increased skate wing trip limit.
Project Goal:
Quantify the economic and ecological benefits and consequences of an increased skate wing trip limit
project team:
Commercial Fisheries Research Foundation:
Michael Long - Project Lead
N. David Bethoney
Red’s Best:
Jared Auerbach, CEO
Data Collection:
Trip duration (hours)
Net soak time (hours)
Fuel used (gallons)
Number of nets set
Number of nets hauled to catch the respective 4,000 and 6,000 lb trip limit in Seasons 1 and 2
Number of nets hauled to catch extra 3,000 lb
Extra time spent fishing to catch extra 3,000 lb
Skate catch total (pounds and dollars)
Bycatch total (species, pounds, and dollars for both landings and discards)
Bycatch (species and pounds) caught up to time when vessel catches respective 4,000/6,000 lb trip limit in Seasons 1 and 2
Participant Vessels:
F/V Carol Marie, Chatham, MA
F/V Constance Sea, Chatham, MA
F/V Miss Fitz, Chatham, MA
F/V Noah, Chatham, MA
F/V Strangle Hold, Chatham, MA
F/V Unicorn, Chatham, MA
F/V White Cap, Chatham, MA
