NOAA has announced that the limited access general category (LAGC) scallop fishery will be closed to individual fishing quota (IFQ) scallop vessels, including vessels issued Letters of Authorization fishing under appeal effective 0001 hours, July 19, 2009. Therefore, effective 0001 hours on July 19, 2009, an IFQ scallop vessel fishing under LAGC regulations may not declare a trip and may not fish for, possess, or retain any scallops. The LAGC scallop fishery is scheduled to re-open to IFQ scallop vessels on September 1, 2009. The complete notice is available here.
