February 11, 2013 — Extended area closures and quota cuts proposed to protect young Atlantic sea scallops and increase future revenues
“What’s behind the success of this fishery?” said John Bullard, regional administrator, Northeast, NOAA Fisheries. “Quite simply, it’s an example of where fishermen, scientists and managers have worked together to bring back a resource that once was in trouble – partnering in science to learn more about scallop abundance and embracing a rotational management approach that is focused on sustainability.”
NOAA Fisheries is currently reviewing several new management measures developed by the New England Fishery Management Council, including proposed reductions in quotas for the 2013 fishing year and measures to protect young Atlantic sea scallops.
"We have a long term vision for this resource and confidence in our research surveys that show we had unprecedented recruitment (abundance of young scallops) in the Mid-Atlantic in 2012," said scallop industry representative, Peter Hughes of Atlantic Capes Fisheries. "However, in the near term, we are going to have to tighten our belts to give these young scallops a chance to grow to marketable size to maximize revenues and ensure sustainability of this valuable resource."
Scallops can grow quickly if left undisturbed in just a few years, which can increase revenues for fishing vessels.
The New England Fishery Management Council recommended that, beginning in May 2013, quotas for the Atlantic sea scallop limited access fishery be reduced by 35 percent compared to 2012 (from 23,546 mt to 15,324 mt) and quotas for fishermen participating in the individual fishing quota program would be reduced by 32 percent (1,404 mt to 1,010 mt).
Some fishermen would also see the number of trips they can take into special access areas reduced by half in 2013, and cuts in the amount of fish they are allowed to keep on each fishing trip. These decreases are necessary to avoid over-harvesting of the scallop resource. Two special access areas would remain closed to protect young sea scallops in the Mid-Atlantic. NOAA closed both areas in 2012 under emergency action, at the request of the fishing industry.
Annual surveys of the scallop resource conducted by NOAA Fisheries, the Virginia Institute for Maine Science and the School of Marine Science and Technology at the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth, showed a high number of small scallops in 2012, particularly in the Mid-Atlantic. In recent history, the only year when the number of small scallops was greater was in 2001. These scallops, if allowed to grow unharmed, will be large enough to harvest in two to three years.
“What’s behind the success of this fishery?” said John Bullard, regional administrator, Northeast, NOAA Fisheries. “Quite simply, it’s an example of where fishermen, scientists and managers have worked together to bring back a resource that once was in trouble – partnering in science to learn more about scallop abundance and embracing a rotational management approach that is focused on sustainability.”
Read the full story on the NOAA website