Notice to all Commercial Menhaden Harvesters

This notice is to inform harvesters that Maine is exiting the Episodic Event Set Aside (EESA) fishery as
the available quota is almost consumed. The EESA fishery CLOSES Sunday, September 21, 2025 at
11:59 p.m.

Commercial menhaden license holders are required to electronically report their landings no later
than 11:59 pm for on all open days, regardless of whether or not the license holder fished that day.
Accurate and timely reports are critical to the Department's ability to ensure that Maine can take
advantage of all available fishing opportunity and avoid reductions to quota in future seasons due to
overages. If you have not already done so, please confirm that your landings reports are complete,
and up to date.

Maine DMR has secured additional quota via transfers to allow harvest to continue, uninterrupted.
Beginning Monday, September 22, 2025, a second state directed harvest will open with the same
effort controls as EESA, see below:

2025 COMMERCIAL HARVEST: EXTENDED DIRECTED HARVEST CONTROLS

• Harvest days are Mondays and Thursdays
• Daily vessel limit is 7,000 lbs or 20 barrels per harvester vessel
• Storage of menhaden required immediately upon harvest
• Either fish tanks, barrels, crates or totes
• Harvester vessels are prohibited from transferring while at sea
• Vessels are prohibited from receiving any menhaden while at sea from another vessel
• Trip level reports are due same day as landing before 11:59 pm through VESL or LEEDS

_________________________________________________________________________________________ For questions regarding menhaden management, please contact Melissa Smith ([email protected], 207.441.5040) or Megan Ware ([email protected], 207.446.0932)