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NOAA Fisheries is announcing a final rule for Framework Adjustment 38 to set specifications and management measures for the Atlantic Sea Scallop fishery for the 2024 fishing year (April 1, 2024 – March 31, 2025). These measures will result in projected landings of 27.4 million pounds, a 2.4 million pound increase from the fishing year 2023 projected landings.
Framework 38 implements specifications and other measures, including:
- Allocating effort into three rotational access areas (New York Bight, Area II, and Area I (individual fishing quota trips only; see map below));
- Prohibiting vessels on declared federal scallop trips from entering or transiting any scallop rotational area and the Western Gulf of Maine Closure unless decided otherwise in the annual specifications process;
- Creating a corridor for continuous transit in Area I;
- Increasing the vessel monitoring system ping rate to once every 5 minutes for all declared federal scallop trips to better enforce the Scallop Rotational Area Management Program;
- Maintaining the existing seasonal closure in Area II to reduce bycatch of Georges Bank yellowtail flounder and northern windowpane flounder;
- Closing areas to scallop fishing to protect small scallops and reduce bycatch of flatfish; and;
- Adjusting the scallop monitoring regulations to integrate the scallop observer notification requirement into the Pre-Trip Notification System.
NOAA Fisheries works in partnership with the New England Fishery Management Council to manage the Atlantic scallop fishery to meet conservation objectives, use the best available scientific information, and provide sustainable levels of access to the fishery.
For more information read the final rule as filed in the Federal Register and our permit holder bulletins: Limited Access, Limited Access General Category, and Northern Gulf of Maine.
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