Dynamic Area Management Zone 

Effective 0001 hours January 14, through 2400 hours January 28, 2006

Dear ALWTRT Member or Interested Party:

On January 2, 2006, forty North Atlantic right whales were sighted in the proximity of 43° 15'N. lat. and 68° 43'W. long, southeast of Portland, Maine, which resulted in NMFS taking action under the Dynamic Area Management (DAM) program to provide protection for this aggregation of right whales. Lobster trap/pot and anchored gillnet fishermen will need to comply with the required gear modifications in an area (see below) for a 15-day period when the temporary rule is effective. **The regulations would apply to lobster trap/pot and anchored gillnet fishermen in an area totaling approximately 2,404 square nautical miles. Once effective, all anchored gillnet and lobster trap/pot gear must comply with the gear restrictions required to continue fishing in a DAM zone for the restricted time period. In addition, NMFS will require that no additional gear be set in the DAM zone during the 15-day period unless that gear has been modified accordingly.

Coordinates for the DAM Zone when effective are as follows:
43º 39´N., 69º 15´W (NW Corner)
43º 39´N., 68º 09´W
42º 49´N., 68º 09´W
42º 49´N., 69º 15´W

*Special note for gillnet fisherman: a portion of this DAM zone overlaps the year-round Cashes Ledge Closure Area found at 50 CFR 648.81(h). Due to this closure, sink gillnet gear is prohibited from this portion of the DAM zone.

Visit the NMFS site for further information: http://www.nero.nmfs.gov/whaletrp under "What's New." 

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