Saving Seafood

Industry Petition to Reopen Northern Edge Scallop Access Named as Top-Tier Deregulation Priority

May 14, 2025 — The following was released by the Fisheries Survival Fund:

A petition submitted by the Fisheries Survival Fund (FSF) to restore scallop fishing access to the Northern Edge of Georges Bank has been formally recognized by the federal government as a national deregulatory priority. In comments submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Office of Advocacy included the FSF petition among just 21 proposals selected from more than 75,000 nationwide for special consideration. It was the only fisheries-related regulation identified and one of just two pertaining to the Department of Commerce.

This federal-level recognition may provide critical momentum for the New England Fishery Management Council to reopen consideration of access to the Northern Edge, a historically significant area with continued importance to the nation’s scallop fleet.

FSF advanced its April 28 petition through two regulatory channels.

First, it was submitted directly to the Secretary of Commerce under standard federal rulemaking procedures, requesting that the New England Fishery Management Council be directed to revisit current restrictions in the Closed Area II Habitat Management Area—commonly known as the Northern Edge. This followed the same legal pathway FSF used in 1998 to launch a successful effort expanding scallop access elsewhere on Georges Bank.

Second, FSF responded to OMB’s government-wide Request for Information (RFI) on deregulation, issued April 11, 2025[1]. This RFI was initiated in direct response to Executive Order 14219, signed by President Donald J. Trump on February 19, 2025, which mandated a comprehensive government-wide review of existing regulations to identify those that are unlawful, exceed statutory authority, or impose unnecessary burdens. The RFI invited the public to propose specific regulations for repeal or reform as part of this broader deregulatory effort.

FSF acknowledges that this opportunity was made possible by Executive Order 14219 and expresses its appreciation to President Trump for his leadership in creating a structured and responsive mechanism for regulatory reform.

By authorizing agencies to seek public input and reconsider outdated rules, the administration made it possible for affected industries such as scallop fishing to engage meaningfully in the federal decision-making process.

In its formal filing, the SBA’s Office of Advocacy highlighted the current regulation[2], which bars scallop fishing in the Northern Edge area. Advocacy noted that it had been contacted by a coalition of 156 small businesses in the scallop industry, which cited the adverse economic impacts of the closure. While the closure was originally intended to protect groundfish populations, Advocacy called on the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to reexamine whether those conservation goals can be met without unnecessarily restricting scallop access.

SBA’s recommendation is notable because nearly all of the other deregulatory proposals included in its comments were national in scope. Northern Edge access was the only fisheries regulation named, and one of just two regulations from the entire Department of Commerce to receive this distinction. This singling out by the SBA is expected to further distinguish the FSF petition among the tens of thousands filed during the OMB’s open comment period.

The Office of Advocacy is uniquely empowered under the Regulatory Flexibility Act to represent small business concerns in the federal rulemaking process. Its endorsement of the FSF petition underscores both the economic significance of scallop access and the need for a more tailored, evidence-based approach to habitat protections that balances environmental objectives with sustainable harvesting.

MAINE: Maine scallop season closes while waiting for Trump administration to approve new quota

April 16, 2025 — U.S. regulators were forced to close the Northern Gulf of Maine scallop fishery less than two weeks into the season as fishers wait for the Trump administration to approve new quotas.

The New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC) approved new scallop quotas for the 2025/2026 seasons under Amendment 39 in December 2024, establishing a quota for the Northern Gulf of Maine federal fishery of 675,563 pounds for 2025 and a quota of 506,672 pounds for 2026. However, those quotas have not yet received final approval from the federal government.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

MAINE: Scallop fishermen face tough choices after the federal fishery is paused

April 15, 2025 — Maine fishermen who participate in the federal Northern Gulf of Maine scallop fishery are stuck in regulatory limbo after the federal agency charged with implementing annual catch limits shut down the fishery temporarily last week.

Policy changes under the Trump administration sidelined the quota system last week.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration had set “default” quotas while a final funding decision was pending, but that 350,000-pound limit has been reached. Normally quotas run closer to 675,000 pounds, or 200 pounds per day, per fisherman.

The closure on Friday occurred just 11 days into the season.

While the early shut down is unprecedented, it should be temporary, according to Togue Brawn, who operates Bremen-based Downeast Dayboat Scallops and is a member of the New England Fishery Management Council, which recommends scallop quotas to the NOAA.

Read the full article at Mainebiz

Scallop study sheds light on gear choice for Maine growers

April 15, 2025 — A recent study from the University of Maine’s Aquaculture Research Institute and Darling Marine Center is offering Maine scallop farmers practical insights into gear selection and its impact on growth and profitability.

The research published in Aquaculture and reported by the Penobscot Bay Pilot compared two common farming methods- lantern nets and ear-hanging- across a full grow-out cycle in Penobscot Bay and Frenchman Bay.

According to Science Daily, suspended culture is the most common approach, with farmers typically using multi-tiered lantern nets to grow scallops to a harvestable size. UMaine shares that ear-hanging, a technique adapted from Japanese scallop farming, offers a potential alternative. This method involves drilling a small hole in the scallop’s shell and suspending it on a line, allowing for better water flow and potentially reducing maintenance needs.

Read the full article at National Fisherman

NOAA closes Northern Gulf of Maine Scallop Management Area midseason

April 11, 2025 — The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shut down the Gulf of Maine’s scallop fishery Friday.

“As of April 11, 2025, no scallop vessel fishing under federal scallop regulations may fish for, possess, or land scallops in or from the Northern Gulf of Maine Scallop Management Area,” NOAA’s announcement reads. “The scallop regulations require that we close this area once we project that 100% of the 2025 Northern Gulf of Maine Set-Aside will be taken.”

Members of Maine’s fishing industry have been anticipating the closure, saying regulators delayed finalizing this year’s catch limits amid their transition to the Trump Administration.

“It hasn’t been as easy to get information this year from NOAA fisheries,” said Togue Brawn, a Member of the New England Fishery Management Council and the founder of Downeast Dayboat and Dayboat Blue. “As we know, things are changing with the government, people are getting fired, people are afraid to talk. It’s a little dystopian, and frankly unsettling, and it does a disservice to the fishermen and the employees that are there trying to manage the fishery.”

The fishery shuts down every year once projections show the allowed set-aside for the year will be met, but this closure marks the first time NOAA has closed the fishery in the middle of the season — which some believe poses uncertainty for fishermen who traveled to the southern reaches of the Gulf of Maine fishing area off of Massachusetts.

Read the full article at Spectrum News

MAINE: Students help scientists count baby scallops

April 10, 2025 — Students from Deer Isle-Stonington High School, all members of the Eastern Maine Skippers Program, gathered on April 4 at the Maine Center for Coastal Fisheries in Stonington to count scallop spat in an effort to predict where beds of the bivalve mollusk might appear.

Spat is the term researchers use to describe post-larval, or juvenile, scallops. These tiny creatures, measuring roughly 1/8 inch, will mature over time into the delicious scallops treasured by diners.

The spat, members of the species Plactopecten magellanicus, or Atlantic deep-sea scallop, are found from North Carolina to the Gulf of St Lawrence. Local scallops are either harvested in the wild near shore or raised in one of several local aqua farms in and around Penobscot Bay.

Read the full article at Penobscot Bay Press

Gulf of Maine scallop fishery likely to close for first time in over 15 years

April 10, 2025 — Fishermen are likely to be restricted from hauling scallops from federal waters in the Gulf of Maine for several weeks because regulators have delayed finalizing annual catch limits.

The temporary closure, expected in the next five days, would mark the first time the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has shut down the regional fishery midseason since the regulations were put into place 16 years ago. Those who dive for scallops near Maine’s coast are unaffected; federal waters begin 3 miles offshore.

NOAA typically passes annual rules by April 1, when the federal scalloping season kicks off. But without them, there is a stopgap measure in place that permits a limited amount of fishing. That limit has almost been reached.

Members of Maine’s fishing community say regulators at NOAA Fisheries have been challenged by the transition to a new presidential administration, a typical problem, and the federal staffing cutbacks that are part of President Donald Trump’s initiative to slash government spending.

Read the full article at the Portland Press Herald 

UMaine research examines best methods for growing Atlantic sea scallops

April 9, 2025 — A new study from the University of Maine’s Aquaculture Research Institute and Darling Marine Center is helping to refine best practices for growing Atlantic sea scallops, a species of increasing interest to Maine’s aquaculture sector.

Published in the academic journal Aquaculture, the research compares two scallop farming methods, ear-hanging and lantern net culture, over a complete grow-out cycle to determine which approach yields the best results for commercial growers. The study, led by UMaine postdoctoral researcher Christopher Noren, provides new insights into how each method influences scallop size and adductor muscle weight, a key factor in market value.

Read the full article at Seacoastonline

UMaine research examines best methods for growing Atlantic sea scallops in Penobscot and Frenchman bays

April 7, 2025 — A new study from the University of Maine’s Aquaculture Research Institute and Darling Marine Center is helping to refine best practices for growing Atlantic sea scallops (Placopecten magellanicus), a species of increasing interest to Maine’s aquaculture sector.

Published in the academic journal Aquaculture, the research compares two scallop farming methods, ear-hanging and lantern net culture, over a complete grow-out cycle to determine which approach yields the best results for commercial growers, according to a news release from UMaine.

The study, led by UMaine postdoctoral researcher Christopher Noren, provides new insights into how each method influences scallop size and adductor muscle weight, a key factor in market value.

Evaluating Two Common Farming Methods

Maine’s scallop aquaculture industry is still in its early stages, and growers are looking for efficient ways to scale up production. Suspended culture is the most common approach, with farmers typically using multi-tiered lantern nets to grow scallops to a harvestable size. However, this method requires frequent maintenance to manage biofouling — an unwanted accumulation of microorganisms, plants and animals — and to optimize growth conditions.

Ear-hanging, a technique adapted from Japanese scallop farming, offers a potential alternative. This method involves drilling a small hole in the scallop’s shell and suspending it on a line, allowing for better water flow and potentially reducing maintenance needs.

To evaluate the effectiveness of each method, researchers partnered with two commercial scallop farms in Maine’s Penobscot Bay and Frenchman Bay. Over four years, they measured scallop growth and the weight of their adductor muscles, the primary product from scallops that are sold in U.S. seafood markets.

Read the full article at Penobscot Bay Pilot