Maine Department of Marine Resources press release
The Department of Marine Resources will be conducting a bottom trawl survey of the Maine Research Array Wind Energy Area. Work will begin on October 15th, 2024, and continue through November 31st, 2024. Operations will be conducted during daylight hours.
The F/V Northern Lights, a 55-foot trawler, will transit from Portland to the sampling area. The crew will conduct approximately 37 twenty-minute tows with a modified shrimp trawl net at a speed of 2.5 knots. Sampling will occur over the course of 7-10 days during the sampling window. The specific locations of the trawls will be published at a later date.
Trawl paths will be run before towing to make sure the path is clear of gear or other obstructions. Fisherman can relocate gear if they wish to minimize the chances of gear interference; however, well-marked gear should be easily avoided during the course of this survey. The F/V Northern Lights will be monitoring VHF channel 16.
The point of contact for this project is Ethan Taulbee, (207) 350-7582, ethan.j.taulbee@maine.gov. If gear is lost, contact Ethan or your local Marine Patrol officer.
Comments