Juvenile haddock remain pelagic for several months before settling to the bottom. Amendment 9 established biomass rebuilding targets, and defines control rules that specify target fishing mortality rates and corresponding rebuilding time horizons. The goal of the management program is to reduce fishing mortality to levels that will allow stocks within the complex to initially rebuild to above minimum spawning biomass thresholds, and ultimately to remain at or near target biomass levels. The Canadian fishery on Georges Bank is managed under an individual quota system, and Canadian waters on Georges Bank are closed to groundfishing annually from January until June. The principal commercial fishing gear used to catch haddock is the otter trawl.
Recreational catches are insignificant.
United States landings increased from less than 300 mt in 1994 to 2,800 mt in 1998. Gulf of Maine Summary Status Landings and Abundance Trends Landings Data Commercial landings of Gulf of Maine haddock declined from about 5,000 mt annually in the mid-1960s to less than 1,000 mt in 1973. Landings subsequently increased sharply to an annual average of 7,000 mt from 1980 to 1983 but declined to record lows in the mid-1990s. Since 1994, commercial landings have increased and were 1,000 mt in 1998. However, commercial landings remain far below both historical landings and potential yield for this stock.