Northeast fishing quotas adjusted for 2024, including a penalty for overfishing Gulf of Maine cod

The US Commerce Department has adjusted fishing quotas for the Northeast multispecies fishery for the 2024 fishing year. This includes minor changes based on last year's catch data and a specific reduction for Gulf of Maine cod due to overfishing.

These adjustments are routine, but they show how regulators manage fish populations year-to-year. When a specific fish stock, like Gulf of Maine cod, is overfished, the rules immediately reduce the amount fishermen can catch the next year. This directly affects how much fish can be brought to market and how much income fishermen can make.