November 22, 2024 — There are more adult scallops in Nantucket Harbor than at any time since 2012, according to the town’s Natural Resources Department. That year, the island’s commercial fleet harvested more than 18,000 bushels, far beyond what fishermen have caught in recent years.
That should be good news. But the problem is that today, there are approximately 75 percent fewer fishermen out on the water scalloping.
So on Wednesday, acting on a recommendation from the Harbor & Shellfish Advisory Board, the members of the Select Board voted unanimously to increase the bay scallop bushel limit for commercial scallopers from five bushels to six bushels per commercial license for the remainder of the 2024-2025 bay scallop season.