January 6, 2014 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:
Federal scallop fishing regulations now allow scallop vessels to fish allocated trips in the Nantucket Lightship, Closed Area I, and Closed Area II Access Areas through the end of the 2013 Fishing Year (February 28, 2014).
Therefore, if captains are unable to complete a fishing trip (need to break a trip) and carry it over into the 2014 Fishing Year, they need to break the trip AFTER December 30, 2013 (60 days before the end of FY 2013). Captains and owners must follow all broken trip notification and compensation trip request requirements. Compensation trips for trips broken after December 30, 2013, must begin no later than April 29, 2014.
Questions about Unharvested Closed Area I Scallops
The New England Fishery Management Council is currently developing new measures to potentially allow vessels to catch unharvested Closed Area I scallops in a future fishing year. When and if that measure is finalized we will alert fishermen so that they can receive appropriate credit for any unharvested catch from this area in 2013. At this time we are not requiring any action on the part of the vessel to receive credit for Fishing Year 2013 unharvested pounds.