June 13, 2014 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:
NOAA Fisheries announces that new management measures for the Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery will go into effect on Monday, June 16th.
These measures, being implemented through Framework 25 to the Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery Management Plan, revise fishing year 2014 catch limits with specifications for days-at-sea, access area trip allocations, and individual fishing quota fleet allocations; establish default fishing year 2015 specifications; enable pounds that went unharvested in Closed Area I Access Area in 2012 and 2013 to be landed in a future year; develop Southern New England/Mid-Atlantic windowpane flounder accountability measures; and provide full-time scallop vessels the option to exchange their allocated Delmarva Access Area trip for 5 DAS.
For more detailed information, you can view the final rule implementing Framework 25 by clicking here.
Attached are two fishery bulletins explaining the new measures; one for limited access vessels and one for the limited access general category vessels. These bulletins will also be available on our website on Monday, June 16th.