Females are viviparous, retaining eggs in the ovary after fertilization until yolk-sac absorption. Mating takes place in autumn, with subsequent larval extrusion occurring the following spring and summer. Amendment 9 established biomass rebuilding targets, and defines control rules which specify target fishing mortality rates and corresponding rebuilding time horizons. The goal of the management program is to reduce fishing mortality to levels which will allow stocks within the complex to initially rebuild above minimum biomass thresholds, and, ultimately, to remain at or near target biomass levels. The principal commercial fishing gear used to catch redfish is the otter trawl.
Recreational catches are insignificant.
During the early development phase of the Gulf of Maine fishery, U.S. nominal catches rose rapidly to a peak level of about 60,000 mt in 1942 followed by a steep decline through the early 1950s. Nominal catches declined more gradually to less than 10,000 mt during the 1960s, and then increased, peaking at 20,000 mt in 1971 and again at 14,800 mt in 1979. Landings then declined steadily throughout the 1980s, and have remained below 1,000 mt per year since 1989. Landings of Gulf of Maine redfish by Canadian vessels have been negligible. This index subsequently averaged 10.0 kg per tow during 1990-1993, increased substantially to 30.6 kg per tow in 1996, and remained relatively high in 1997 and 1998.