EMERGENCY CLOSURE NOTICE: St. Croix River, Upper Blue Hill Bay/Union River, West Lower Jericho Bay, Upper Damariscotta River
Maine Department of Marine Resources sent this bulletin at 02/22/2019 07:39 PM ESTHaving trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.
Good evening,
Please be aware that DMR will implement emergency conservation closure(s) in the area(s) below, effective February 24, 2019:
- St. Croix River in Zone 3
- Upper Blue Hill Bay/Union River Rotational Area in Zone 2
- Western side of Lower Jericho Bay Rotational Area in Zone 2
- Upper Damariscotta River in Zone 1
The outer portions of Damariscotta River, and Lower Jericho Bay Rotational Area will remain open.
Machias Seal Island and North Rock are open to harvest on Zone 2 calendar days.
The Scallop Management Area Map has been updated to reflect these closures. To view closures, zoom into the local area.
The notice of emergency rulemaking will be posted to DMR's website, and also included below:
NOTICE OF AGENCY EMERGENCY RULE-MAKING
AGENCY: Department of Marine Resources
CHAPTER NUMBER AND TITLE: Chapter 11.08, Targeted Closures: (11) Cobscook including…St. Croix River, (12) U. Blue Hill Bay/Union River RA, (13) West Lower Jericho Bay, (14) U. Damariscotta River
CONCISE SUMMARY: The Commissioner adopts this emergency rulemaking to implement conservation closures in St. Croix River, Upper Blue Hill Bay/Union River RA, West Lower Jericho Bay and Upper Damariscotta River. The Department is concerned that continued harvesting for the duration of the 2018-19 fishing season in these areas will greatly reduce the abundance of the remaining broodstock as well as seed scallop resource that is essential to the ongoing recruitment, regrowth and recovery of the scallop resource. Immediate conservation closures are necessary to reduce the risk of unusual damage and imminent depletion of the scallop resource in St. Croix River, Upper Blue Hill Bay/Union River RA, West Lower Jericho Bay and Upper Damariscotta River.
For these reasons, the Commissioner hereby adopts an emergency closure of Maine’s scallop fishery in these areas as authorized by 12 M.R.S. §6171(3)(A).
EFFECTIVE DATE: February 24, 2019
Please do not reply to this email; the mail box is not monitored. For more information, I can be reached at Melissa.Smith@maine.gov or 624-6558. Thank you!