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 0001 hr, on April 28, 2025.
As of April 28, 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).
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 seaward of the VMS demarcation line before 0001 hr, April 28, 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 at 4:15 PM today and the permit holder bulletin.
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