September 22, 2026 — The New England Fishery Management Council will not prioritize scallop permit-stacking in 2027, potentially leaving NOAA to pursue the controversial permitting change through a federal process.
The council voted overwhelmingly last week to tell federal officials that it “lacks the operational capacity” to take up permit-stacking next year, according to reporting from The New Bedford Light.
The decision follows federal officials’ July request that the council consider six fisheries management actions stemming from President Trump’s 2025 executive order, “Restoring American Seafood Competitiveness.” The order called for reducing regulatory burdens and strengthening U.S. seafood competitiveness.
Of those requests, NOAA would develop the regulatory changes rather than the council, while still providing opportunities for council and public input. Scallop permits have been tied to individual vessels for decades. Permit-stacking would allow owners to place more than one permit on a vessel, potentially allowing that vessel to make additional trips while owners retire older boats from their fleets.
The proposal, however, has divided members of the scallop industry.