Maine Coast Dock Talk | Understanding the New England Fishery Management Council's New Risk Policy

This year, the New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC) is putting a new risk policy in place. The new Risk Policy will shape how the Council weighs scientific uncertainty when it sets catch limits and makes management decisions for New England's fisheries. For Maine's commercial fishermen, and especially the small-boat fleet that depends on stable, predictable access to groundfish and other stocks, understanding how this policy works is essential to understanding where fisheries management is headed. In the latest episode of Maine Coast Dock Talk, Hannah MacDonald sits down with Megan Ware, Director of External Affairs at Maine at Maine Department of Marine Resources (DMR) to explain what the NEFMC risk policy is, why the Council adopted it, and how it could affect fishermen, fishing communities, and the Council process going forward.

Whether you fish for a living, follow Council meetings closely, or simply care about the future of Maine's working waterfront, this conversation offers a clear, practical look at one of the most important fisheries policy changes in the region this year.

Maine Coast Dock Talk brings fishermen, scientists, and managers together to talk through the issues shaping New England's fisheries in plain language. Listen to "New England Fisheries and Risk Policy" on Spotify, and subscribe to Maine Coast Dock Talk to catch future episodes on fisheries management, sustainable fishing, and Maine's coastal communities.