"This is great news for the fishermen in Maine," Senator Collins said. "Given the recent sacrifices that our fishermen have had to endure, reopening Georges Bank is even more critical to the success and survival of many of the area's fisherman." On October 1, 2004, the Service closed this fishing area effective until May 1, 2005. This decision denied New England fishermen access to over 10 million pounds of haddock, 2 million of which were anticipated at Maine's own Portland Fish Exchange.
Following the announcement of the premature closure, Senator Collins immediately contacted Dr. William Hogarth, Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, to express her concern. When the area was closed in October, it was reported that as little as 12 to 13 percent of the haddock resource had been harvested, leaving a reported 10 million pound of haddock on Georges Bank. The closure of the Eastern U.S./Canada Area further dampened the prospect that these fish would be harvested during this fishing year.
According to today's National Marine Fisheries Service announcement, Georges Bank will remain open for the remainder of the fishing year, April 30, 2005, or until 100 percent of the Total Allowable Catches have been harvested.
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