Saving Seafood

Final Report Available: Scallop Enhancement Project

February 21, 2026 — The following was released by the Coonamessett Farm Foundation:

The Coonamessett Farm Foundation has released the final report for its
Evaluating the Key Factors that Influence the Efficacy of Transplanting to Supplement
Recruitment project. This report was submitted to NOAA Fisheries earlier this month and was
prepared under the 2022 Sea Scallop Research Set-Aside Program continuing more than a
decade of collaborative, industry-based research. The report summarizes scallop transplanting
efforts and the results from an industry-funded project conducted under an Exempted Fishing
Permit in 2020 and 2021 to evaluate dispersal, growth, and mortality of transplanted sea scallops
while comparing transplanted individuals with scallops in natural beds. This research indicates
that transplanting sea scallops from high-density, growth-limited areas to more favorable
environments can produce meaningful biological and economic gains.

More information about the project and the full report is available here

Starfish, moon snails and squid: Researchers work to give scallop boats new purpose

February 19, 2026 — On any given day, research assistant Kelly Alves’ car is full of moon snails.

The little-understood marine species is thought to prey on sea scallops, and that’s as good a reason as any for Alves and her colleagues at the Coonamessett Farm Foundation to learn more about the animal — and all the ways to catch, kill, and potentially market it as seafood. The work comes with hazards.

“One time in New Bedford, I picked them up and there were 100 pounds or so of moon snails in these boxes with holes at the bottom, so the slime just oozed all over the back,” research assistant Emily O’Toole said.

The scientists’ foray into moon snail research is part of a larger federally funded initiative to adapt New Bedford’s scallop fleet for potential new frontiers. Scallop trawlers spend over 300 days a year tied up at the dock. Coonamessett Farm Foundation’s research is working to get them back in the water — even if it means chasing some far-flung fish.

Senior research biologist Samir Patel leads the team of scientists pursuing a number of projects to repurpose or retool scallopers for new uses and markets. Some, like the moon snail project, involve exploring entirely new species these boats could fish besides scallops. Others involve developing new user-friendly research technology that can make scallop trawlers operate more like research vessels.

“We’re not trying to make scallopers more adaptable,” Patel said. “We’re trying to take advantage of how adaptable this industry already is.”

Read the full article at the The New Bedford Light

NEW JERSEY: How NJ’s fishing crews beat icy, frigid conditions

February 17, 2026 — Scallops are of the sea’s succulent treasures, which would make Viking Village in Barnegat Light a treasure chest.

“This is sushi grade,” said fifth generation fisherman Kirk Larson, Jr. “These are the nicest scallops you’ll get.”

No doubt these scallops are going to be the stars of many Valentine’s dinners this weekend. It’s all made possible by these fishing crews, who have had to endure icy, dangerous conditions.

“The last couple weeks, with the cold, it’s just made it harder and harder for our boats to get away from this dock,” said Larson. “To go down the harbor, you almost got to like give it some extra throttle just to break the ice.”

Read the full article at Pix 11

Seasonal Survey for the Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery on the Eastern Part of Georges Bank Project

February 12, 2026 — The Coonamessett Farm Foundation has released the final report for its
Seasonal Survey for the Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery on the Eastern Part of Georges Bank
project. The report was formally submitted in November 2025 and was prepared under the 2024
Sea Scallop Research Set-Aside Program, continuing more than a decade of collaborative,
industry-based research. The report summarizes findings from six research trips conducted
between August 2024 and June 2025, providing high-resolution seasonal data on scallop
biomass, spawning activity, meat yield, health condition, predator interactions, and bycatch
dynamics. Sampling focused on key SAMS areas within Closed Area II, the CAII Extension, and
the Southern Flank on eastern Georges Bank.

More information about the project and the full report is available here

Rising ocean temperatures could devastate scallop fishery

February 10, 2026 — The Northeast Atlantic sea scallop fishery, one of the most valuable fisheries in the world at more than $500 million per year, faces serious threats from ecosystem changes, according to the Commercial Fisheries Research Foundation.

Although the catch hasn’t dropped yet, climate change poses a serious threat to the scallop fishery in decades to come.

“It’s a huge fishery with hundreds of boats and thousands of crew members,” said Fred Mattera, president of the Commercial Fisheries Research Center, which is based in South Kingstown. “The crews are used to making hundreds of thousands of dollars. If that’s reduced by 30, 40 or 50%, that’s going to have a devastating impact.”

Due to global warming and an increase in atmospheric temperature, the ocean’s potential of hydrogen, or pH, will decrease, leading to ocean acidification, according to Rebecca Smoak, a research biologist at the Commercial Fisheries Research Foundation. The process happens when carbon dioxide is absorbed by the ocean, causing the CO2​ levels in the water to increase.

Read the full article at The Westerly Sun

Council Solicits Contractor Proposals to Support Development of Atlantic Sea Scallop Stock Projection Methods

January 27, 2026 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is seeking proposals from qualified independent contractors to assist with the development of enhanced stock projection methods to support management of the Atlantic sea scallop fishery. Read the full RFP.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: Proposals must be received no later than February 13, 2026. Work is expected to begin on or about February 23, 2026, and conclude by April 1, 2027. 

WHAT IS THE PROJECT: This is a temporary contractor position that will work with Council and NOAA staff and technical advisors to develop and evaluate improved methods for forecasting exploitable scallop biomass and abundance to support sustainable fishery. See the full RFP. 

TO APPLY: Interested professionals are encouraged to submit a letter of interest, current resume or CV, examples of similar work completed for other organizations or publications, and budget with expected expenses. In addition, applicants should describe the approach that would be used to meet the requirements of this project, including deliverables. Travel expenses need not be included in the budget as approved travel will be reimbursed by the Council.  

 Letters of interest and supporting materials should be received no later than February 13, 2025, email submissions are highly encouraged and can be sent to cokeefe@nefmc.org or mailed to: 

 Dr. Cate O’Keefe 

New England Fishery Management Council 

50 Water Street, Mill 2 

Newburyport, MA 01950 

Questions regarding this solicitation should be directed to the same contact. 

 

Now Soliciting Proposals for 2026/2027 Sea Scallop Research Set-Aside Program

January 23, 2026 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

NOAA Fisheries, in coordination with the New England Fishery Management Council, is soliciting proposals for the Sea Scallop Research Set-Aside (RSA) Program under a Notice of Funding Opportunity.

Due to the timing of this announcement, prospective applicants should anticipate that NOAA Fisheries may not issue a 2027 Scallop RSA Notice of Funding Opportunity, and that most, if not all,  of the 2026 and 2027 research set aside scallops may be awarded under this competition. Further, because applicants may not have sufficient time to prepare for field work this year, NOAA Fisheries acknowledges that field work may need to start in 2027.

For more information, visit our application solicitation webpage.

MASSACHUSETTS: Study Says Offshore Wind Could Impact New Bedford Scallop Industry

January 22, 2026 — Scallops are an important contributor to the success of the New Bedford fishing Industry. Without scallops, the industry as we know it would cease to exist.

“The impact of the species in New Bedford is massive,” NPR reported. “About 80 percent of the seafood, by value, that arrives on the docks here comes from scallops, according to a 2020 report from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries.”

NPR reported about two-thirds of the 500 or so fishing vessels that fish out of New Bedford “are going out for scallops.”

Read the full article at WBSM

Offshore wind development could hinder scallop fishing, new study reports

January 15, 2026 — Just as the Trump administration abruptly halted five offshore wind projects in December, a new study aims to quantify the impacts the controversial industry may have on commercial scallop fishers.

The study, published mid-December, found that while offshore wind may not change scallop fishing much — causing only an estimated 4% increase in travel time — even that amount of change could still leave a major impact on the highly lucrative and sensitive industry.

“It’s kind of like death by a thousand cuts,” said Sarah Borsetti, paper author and fisheries researcher at Rutgers University’s Haskin Shellfish Research Laboratory. “With all of the other things facing the industry, this is another thorn in the side.”

Using a model that previously predicted changes in the surfclam industry, Borsetti and her team sought to simulate fishermen’s real behavior in and around offshore development sites. To make her model as accurate as possible, her team interviewed commercial scallopers across the Eastern Seaboard — but primarily in the industry hub of New Bedford.

Read the full article at The New Bedford Light

AI used to understand scallop ecology

January 9, 2026 — The following was relased by the Coonamessett Farm Foundation:

A recent peer-reviewed study led by Coonamessett Farm Foundation (CFF) demonstrates how Artificial Intelligence (AI) can be used to analyze massive underwater imagery datasets, revealing new insights into the ecology and behavior of Atlantic sea scallops (Placopecten magellanicus). Using AI models, CFF scientists analyzed over 1.3 million images collected during Habitat Mapping Camera (HabCam) surveys in 2019 and 2021 to investigate scallop habitat preferences and swimming behavior.

Read the full story on CFF’s website to learn more about HabCam surveys and AI tools used for analyzing underwater imagery. The new paper, entitled “Benthic habitat influences sea scallop distributions and swimming behavior based on underwater imagery and machine learning”, is available by following this link.