April 21, 2026 — For the past five years, New Jersey scallop fisherman Brady Lybarger has been spending more time in New Bedford. Scallop yields have been poor in the mid-Atlantic’s historic scalloping grounds, known as the Elephant Trunk. So Lybarger makes the 250-mile voyage from Cape May, New Jersey’s southernmost point, out to Georges Bank, east of Cape Cod.
Fuel is expensive, so Lybarger docks his vessel in New Bedford during the busy summer season. Between trips, he drives six hours each way to New Jersey to spend time with his family.
With 25 years in the fishing industry, Lybarger says the sacrifice is nothing new.
“No one wants to be away, right?” Lybarger said. “But you also got to go make money.”
Lybarger is part of a growing cohort of fishermen docking their vessels in New Bedford while calling another port home. Since 2016, the number of these “transient” vessels has increased over 300%, while scallop landings in mid-Atlantic and southern ports have declined.
The shift, some researchers say, is driven by climate change: ocean temperatures and acid levels are rising unevenly across the Eastern Seaboard. As scallops react to warming waters, fishermen are following suit — spending more time and landing more shellfish in New Bedford. It’s a boon for the Whaling City, but it’s a challenge for the southern ports left behind.
“We’re getting decimated,” said Sean Barto, the vice president of Sea Gear Marine Supply in Cape May. “It’s been straight downhill for the past five or six years.”
The shift may further consolidate an industry that’s already tough for independent fishermen, driving an even greater portion of fishing wealth into New Bedford’s privileged few.
The shifting tides aren’t enough to make Lybarger leave his home port behind entirely, though he’s willing to consider it someday.
“From what I’ve seen in the past 20 years, [New Bedford] has turned around,” Lybarger said. “I wouldn’t mind living in New Bedford, be honest with you. It’s not my top choice, but I wouldn’t mind it if I had to.”