Saving Seafood

Trump celebrates expanded scallop fishing with ‘National Scallops Day’ declaration

July 2, 2026 — President Donald Trump on Thursday declared a “National Scallops Day” in celebration of a federal decision to expand commercial scallop fishing on the Georges Bank, saying it will boost seafood production, create jobs, and reverse restrictions imposed under previous administrations.

Trump announced the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) will open the Northern Edge of Georges Bank to scallop fishing, a move he said would result in “millions more pounds” of wild scallops for American consumers each year. He also said it will benefit fishing communities along the East Coast.

Read the full article at KMPH

National Marine Fisheries study determines four genetically different cod populations in Gulf of Maine, southern New England, adjusts management

July 1, 2026 — The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has approved an update to the Multispecies Fishery Management Plan developed by the New England Fishery Management Council. The plan is to improve management of the chronically overfished Atlantic cod population and rebuild the historic New England fishery by incorporating new genetic information and requiring 100% observer coverage, according to a June 30 news release.

For more than 40 years, Atlantic cod has been managed as two distinct populations: Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank. Recent studies, however, show there are four genetically distinct populations: Eastern Gulf of Maine, Western Gulf of Maine, Georges Bank, and Southern New England. Using new genetic data to count and manage each population individually is a more effective way to reduce overfishing, prevent collapse, and help rebuild fish populations, the NMFS said.

“Sound science is the foundation of good management. We commend the National Marine Fisheries Service for integrating new genetic data to create forward-looking policies for one of New England’s most iconic and economically vital fisheries,” said Gib Brogan, Fishery Campaign Director for Oceana, in the release. “Using this new genetic information will lead to better management within each population of Atlantic cod to prevent overfishing, reduce the risk of collapse, and rebuild fish populations for future generations.” 

Read the full article at Penobscot Bay Pilot

MASSACHUSETTS: New Bedford Scallop Boss Takes His Fight To Trump Over Georges Bank Access

June 23, 2026 — Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell on June 22, 2026, rolled out final consumer-protection regulations for assisted living residences, targeting misleading fees, murky billing and shaky eviction practices. The rules cap a multi-year public process that AG staff say is designed to give residents clearer service agreements and formal channels to complain when things go sideways. The regulations are scheduled to kick in when they are published in the Massachusetts Register on July 17, 2026.

In a press release on Mass.gov, Campbell said, “I am proud to announce the AGO’s first‑ever regulations for assisted living residences, which will strengthen accountability and protect older adults from unfair and deceptive practices under the state’s consumer protection law.” The Attorney General’s Elder Justice Unit led the project, with Assistant Attorney General Andrew Musgrave at the helm alongside Director Mary Freeley and Deputy Director Valerie Frias. The release also names Allie Zuliani as the deputy press secretary and media contact for the rollout.

Read the full article at Hoodline

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

Atlantic Sea Scallop Dredge Survey Enters 4th Decade

December 22, 2025 — The Atlantic Sea Scallop Dredge Survey, a cornerstone of fisheries science and management along the U.S. East Coast, marked more than four decades of research in 2024, underscoring its role in supporting one of the region’s most valuable commercial fisheries.

First launched in 1979, the survey has evolved from a government-led effort into a collaborative partnership between marine scientists and the scallop fishing industry. Today, researchers work alongside commercial crews aboard working scallop vessels, allowing data to be collected under real-world fishing conditions.

The survey gathers critical information on the abundance, spatial distribution, and life history of Atlantic sea scallops across a broad range, from Georges Bank to the Delmarva Peninsula. This long-running dataset provides fisheries managers with the scientific foundation needed to set catch limits, protect habitat, and ensure the sustainability of the stock.

Read the full article at the Cape Charles Mirror

Unusual Juvenile Haddock Aggregation Observed During the November 2025 Scallop Research Set-Aside Survey of Eastern Georges Bank

November 14, 2025 – Researchers from the Coonamessett Farm Foundation (CFF)
recently made an unexpected discovery during their November 2025 scallop survey on
Georges Bank: 76 juvenile haddock caught at several stations aboard the F/V Vigilance.
Haddock are rarely found in such numbers in scallop dredge surveys, making this
observation particularly noteworthy.

The finding, part of CFF’s long-term Seasonal Scallop Survey, underscores the
importance of consistent monitoring efforts that not only support scallop management
but also reveal broader ecosystem patterns across Georges Bank. The CFF seasonal
survey is unique in the region because it operates six times per year, collecting data
during months when other surveys used for fisheries management are not active.

Read the full story at Coonamessett Farm Foundation

Lobster stock assessment shows decline, lobstermen say different factors at play

November 12, 2025 — The American Lobster Benchmark Stock Assessment and Peer Review Report, which assesses the stability of the lobster stock and informs how to manage it, was released Oct. 30, finding that the Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank stocks have declined 34% since peak levels in 2018. The report found that the stock is not depleted but attributed the decrease to overfishing, a finding that some local lobstermen have differing perspectives on.

In contrast, the report, which is commissioned by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, found that in waters farther south, the Southern New England stock has been significantly depleted but not overfished, “with record low abundances for all life stages in recent years.”

For the Gulf of Maine/Georges Bank stocks, “the average abundance from 2021-2023 was 202 million lobsters, which remains above the abundance limit reference point but below the fishery/industry target, indicating the stock’s ability to replenish itself is not jeopardized, but economic conditions for the lobster fishery may be degrading,” reads an Oct. 30 press release from ASMFC. “The average exploitation from 2021-2023 was just above the exploitation threshold, indicating overfishing is occurring.”

For context, 82% of lobster landings in the U.S. come from the Gulf of Maine fishery, where small vessels making day trips in nearshore waters make up the bulk of those catches. At just 5% of U.S. landings are larger vessels making multi-day trips offshore with the Georges Bank fishery.

Read the full article at The Ellsworth American

Lobstermen push back on ASMFC overfishing claim

November 10, 2025 — The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) announced last week that while the Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank (GOM/ GBK) lobster stock remains above its abundance threshold, overfishing is occurring, a finding that has sparked concern and disagreement from industry groups who say the assessment overstates fishing’s role in the stock’s recent decline.

The 2025 American Lobster Benchmark Stock Assessment was released on Oct. 20 and stated that the GOM and GBK stock has declined by 34 percent since its peak in 2018, though it is “not depleted” and continues to support a robust fishery. In contrast, the Southern New England stock remains “significantly depleted” but is not experiencing overfishing, with abundance at record lows across all life stages.

“The Benchmark Stock Assessment is a considerable advancement in our understanding U.S. American lobster resource. It was fully endorsed by an external panel of fishery scientists as the best scientific information available to manage the lobster resource,” stated Board Chair Renee Zobel from New Hampshire. “On behalf of the American Lobster Board, I commend the members of the Technical Committee and Stock Assessment Subcommittee for their outstanding work on the 2025 Benchmark Stock Assessment Report. This assessment reflects the commitment of the Committee and Peer Review Panel to providing the Board with the highest-caliber science to inform management decisions and improve our understanding of the complex and changing relationship between the environment and lobster resource.”

Read the full article at National Fisherman

Stock assessment for US lobster shows population shifts, minor overfishing

October 31, 2025 — A recent stock assessment by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) indicates lobster stock on the East Coast of the U.S. is depleted to record low abundance in Southern New England (SNE), and overfishing of the stock is occurring in the Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank (GOM/GBK).

The lobster benchmark assessment found the stock in GOM/GBK – which accounts for the vast majority of lobster landings in the U.S. – has declined 34 percent since peak levels in 2018. According to the ASMFC, the GOM region in particular has accounted for an average of 82 percent of annual landings since 1982, while the GBK fishery accounts for 5 percent.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

Catch limits for scallops on Georges Bank reduced due to increase in predator population

October 28, 2025 — One of Nova Scotia’s most lucrative seafood species is being attacked by natural predators on one of the most famous fishing grounds.

What remains to be seen is whether it’s a short-term occurrence or a sign of things to come.

A recently published stock assessment by Fisheries and Oceans Canada for sea scallops in Scallop Fishing Area (SFA) 27A on Georges Bank notes major changes in the amount of biomass and natural mortality rates. The changes were dramatic enough that DFO reduced the total allowable catch last December.

Fully recruited biomass decreased to 13,570 tonnes in 2024 from 31,095 tonnes in 2023 after fluctuating “within the healthy zone since the 2000s,” the science advisory report said. Fully recruited refers to commercial-size scallops.

Recruit biomass — the total mass of new scallops in the population — dropped by 72 per cent from 2023 to 2024.

The report said the “significant interannual changes” in stock condition for the SFA are likely driven by environmental variability.

“Research vessel survey data from Canada and the United States suggest that predator abundance, notably sea stars and crabs, has increased within the areas of known scallop distribution. Aggregations of predators in areas of high scallop density contribute to increases in natural mortality.”

Read the full article at CBC News