March 27, 2019 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:
The management measures for the Atlantic Sea Scallop fishery for the 2019 fishing year go into effect on April 1, 2019.
Framework Adjustment 30 to the Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery Management Plan:
- Sets specifications for the scallop fishery for fishing year 2019, including Days-at-Sea (DAS) allocations, Individual Fishing Quotas (IFQs), and sea scallop access area trip allocations. These allocations are similar to those set in the 2018 fishing year. This action also sets precautionary default 2020 specifications, in case we implement the next framework after the April 1, 2020 start of the 2020 fishing year;
- Allocates effort into three rotational access areas (Mid-Atlantic, Nantucket Lightship-West, and Closed Area 1). Scallop landings allocated to Closed Area 1 are flexible and can be landed from any available access area;
- Sets a 205,000 lb Northern Gulf of Maine total allowable catch for 2019 that will be split as 137,500 lb for the Limited Access General Category (LAGC) and 67,500 lb for the limited access fleet;
- Standardizes default specifications for Limited Access DAS and LAGC IFQ allocations; and
- Standardizes the approach used to set the number of access area trips available to the LAGC IFQ fleet.
Read the final rule as published in the Federal Register, and the permit holder bulletins for the Limited Access and Limited Access General Category scallop vessels available on our website.