Cooke Aquaculture said Wednesday that it is offering whole blackbelly rosefish (Helicolenus dactylopterus) for use by Maine lobstermen as an alternative bait.
In June, use of the fish as bait was approved by the Maine Department of Marine Resources.
This new supply, Cooke said, will help address challenges Maine lobstermen are facing because of a shortage of herring, the traditional bait used to catch lobster.
The New England Fishery Management Council announced in June that the quota for herring caught off the coast of New England will be reduced in 2020 and 2021.
