December 10, 2022 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:
The New England Fishery Management Council took final action on 2023 fishing year specifications for the Atlantic sea scallop fishery when it met December 5-9, 2022 in Newport, RI. The measures are contained in Framework Adjustment 36 to the Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery Management Plan and include default specifications for fishing year 2024. The new scallop fishing year begins on April 1. NOAA Fisheries must review and implement the framework before the measures take affect.
Scallops are not overfished and overfishing is not occurring, which indicates the resource remains healthy. However, total biomass is down considerably from the past several years. Survey biomass estimates in 2022 were the lowest since 1999. The exceptionally large 2012 and 2013 year classes of scallops that drove landings up above 50 million pounds from 2018 through 2020 have passed through the fishery. Since 2013, recruitment has been below average in the Mid-Atlantic and average on Georges Bank until this year and last.
The Council considered these factors when selecting landings targets for the 2023 fishing year. The measures selected are projected to result in roughly 25 million pounds of landings valued at roughly $398 million.