May 15, 2020 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:
The New England Fishery Management Council will be hosting a Scallop Research Set-Aside (RSA) Program Share Day on Tuesday, May 19, 2020 via webinar beginning at 9:00 a.m. The event will feature updates and preliminary findings from projects recently funded through the RSA program. The presentations will benefit the Scallop Plan Development Team and Scallop Advisory Panel in making recommendations to the Scallop Committee and full Council for future research priority setting for this program. In addition, all scallopers and other stakeholders may be interested in hearing about how RSA projects enhance management of the fishery and address critical resource, gear, bycatch, and survey issues.
The Council annually “sets aside” 1.25 million pounds of scallop meats that can be used to support research in the fishery. The Council then determines research priorities. NOAA Fisheries manages the RSA competition and administers the program.