Industry Based Monkfish Survey

Monkfish industry leaders expressed concerns that the NEFSC bottom trawl surveys did not sample in all monkfish habitats; particularly the deeper water outside the bounds of the survey strata. Industry also had concerns about the survey trawl capture efficiency for monkfish. The NEFSC, determined to investigate these assertions, developed an industry based survey that would cover a broader area of the northeast shelf and break utilizing commercial gear specifically designed to catch monkfish. In 2009, the NEFSC bottom trawl surveys transitioned to a new vessel with the ability to sample in deeper water. At this time the survey trawl was replaced with a more advanced trawl. The combination of greater coverage and increased monkfish capture efficiency on the new survey indicated that a dedicated monkfish survey was no longer necessary. The program was suspended after the 2009 survey.