Effective through March 31, 2026
NOAA Fisheries is closing the Northern Gulf of Maine Scallop Management Area to all federally permitted limited access general category scallop vessels effective 1800 hr, on April 11, 2025.
As of April 11, 2025, no scallop vessel fishing under federal scallop regulations may fish for, possess, or land scallops in or from the Northern Gulf of Maine Scallop Management Area. The scallop regulations require that we close this area once we project that 100 percent of the 2025 Northern Gulf of Maine Set-Aside will be taken. The closure will be in effect until the end of the fishing year (March 31, 2026) or until final 2025 specifications are approved.
The proposed rule for Framework Adjustment 39 to the Fishery Management Plan, which would increase the NGOM Set-Aside, published on March 18, 2025, and the comment period closed on April 2, 2025. If Framework 39 is approved, the final rule implementing final 2025 scallop fishery specifications would reopen the NGOM Management Area under the proposed NGOM Set-Aside for the remainder of 2025.
If you have declared a trip into the Northern Gulf of Maine Scallop Management Area using the correct Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) code and have crossed the VMS demarcation line before 1800 hr, April 11, 2025, you may complete the trip and retain and land scallops caught from the Northern Gulf of Maine Scallop Management Area.
Exemption for Maine and Massachusetts Vessels Fishing Exclusively in State Waters
If you have a valid Maine or Massachusetts state scallop permit, you may continue to fish in Maine or Massachusetts state waters within the Northern Gulf of Maine Scallop Management Area under the State Waters Exemption program. If you are fishing under an Individual Fishing Quota scallop permit (Limited Access General Category A), any pounds landed under a state waters only trip will still be deducted from the vessel’s allocation.
For more details, read the notice as filed in the Federal Register and the permit holder bulletin on NOAA Fisheries Bulletins website.
|
