New Rules Guard Baby Scallops from Overfishing Doom
Published Date: 3/18/2025
Proposed Rule
Summary
Fishermen who catch Atlantic sea scallops will see new rules for 2025 and 2026 that help protect young scallops and make fishing smarter. The plan changes when and where boats can fish to keep scallops healthy and avoid catching too many by accident. Some permit holders get new transit permissions, and research rules get clearer—all to keep the scallop fishery strong and sustainable.
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
New scallop fishing rules 2025–26
If you catch Atlantic sea scallops, new rules for fishing years 2025 and 2026 set how fishing effort is allocated into access areas, change when areas open to optimize yield and minimize bycatch, and create closures to protect juvenile scallops. The agency says these measures are necessary to prevent overfishing and improve resource yield-per-recruit and management of the fishery.
Transit allowed for Category B vessels
If you operate a vessel with a limited access general category B permit, you may transit outside of the Northern Gulf of Maine with scallops onboard. This explicitly changes transit permissions for that permit class.
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Key Dates
Department and Agencies
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