Table 7. Opinion about the effectiveness of the Western Gulf of Maine Area Closure (WGoMAC) for each of the surveyed groups: (A) Does the closure reduce fishing mortality? (B) Does the closure protect habitat that groundfish require? and (C) Does the closure help in the long-term recovery of groundfish stocks? Values in parentheses are percentages.


  NEFMC AP PDT Fishers Total
(A) Closure reduces fishing mortality n = 9 n = 6 n = 12 n = 13 n = 40
Yes 6 (66.7) 4 (66.7) 6 (50.0) 6 (46.2) 22 (55.0)
No 2 (22.2) 1 (16.7) 2 (16.7) 4 (30.8) 9 (22.5)
Don't know 1 (11.1) 1 (16.7) 4 (33.3) 3 (23.1) 9 (22.5)
 
(B) Closure protects habitat 		 
n = 9		  
n = 5		  
n = 12		  
n = 14		  
n = 40
Yes 6 (66.7) 2 (40.0) 9 (75.0) 11 (78.6) 28 (70.0)
No 1 (11.1) 1 (20.0) 1 (8.3) 2 (14.3) 5 (12.5)
Don't know 2 (22.2) 2 (40.0) 2 (16.7) 1 (7.1) 7 (17.5)
 
(C) Closure helps in the long-term recovery 		 
n = 9		  
n = 6		  
n = 12		  
n = 14		  
n = 41
Yes 7 (77.8) 4 (66.6) 7 (58.3) 7 (50.0) 25 (61.0)
No 0 (0.0) 1 (16.7) 2 (16.7) 3 (21.4) 6 (14.6)
Don't know 2 (22.2) 1 (16.7) 3 (25.0) 4 (28.6) 10 (24.4)
NEFMC = New England Fishery Management Council; AP = Advisory Panel; PDT = Plan Development Team