Fishery hearings on shrimp, flounder in NH

Two public hearings are being held in Portsmouth, N.H., to discuss fishery management plans for northern shrimp and winter flounder.

The hearings start Tuesday night at the Urban Forestry Center.

The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department says recent trends jeopardize the stability of northern shrimp, as late and incomplete reporting and fluctuations in participation have led to the overharvest of the total allowable catch over the last three fishing seasons.

Proposals for Gulf of Maine winter flounder include increasing the commercial trip limit for non-federally permitted fishermen from 250 pounds to 500 pounds, and returning the recreational season to a year-round fishery.