Effective 1/14: Closure of the CAI Scallop Access Area for the LAGC Individual Fishing Quota Fleet

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NOAA Fisheries - New England - Mid Atlantic Bulletin

January 13, 2023

NOAA Fisheries Announces Closure of the Closed Area I Scallop Access Area for the Limited Access General Category Individual Fishing Quota Fleet

Effective through March 31, 2023

In accordance with the New England Fishery Management Council’s Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery Management Plan, NOAA Fisheries is closing the Closed Area I Scallop Access Area to all federally permitted limited access general category individual fishing quota (LAGC IFQ) scallop vessels effective 0001 hr, on January 14, 2023.

As of January 14, 2023, no scallop vessel fishing under these regulations may fish for, possess, or land scallops in or from the Closed Area I Access Area. The scallop regulations require that we close this area once we project that the LAGC fleet has fished all of the 714 trips allocated for this area.

Map of scallop access area with Closed Area 1 highlighted

Vessels that have complied with the observer notification requirements, have declared a trip into the Closed Area I Scallop Access Area using the correct Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) code, and have crossed the VMS demarcation line before 0001 hr, January 14, 2023, may complete their trip and retain and land scallops caught from the Closed Area I Scallop Access Area.

For more details, read the notice as filed in the Federal Register and the permit holder bulletin.

Questions?

Fishermen: Contact Louis Forristall, Sustainable Fisheries Division, 978-281-9321

Media: Contact Allison Ferreira, Regional Office, 978-281-9103