December 16, 2024 — The New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC) has finalized Framework 39 for the 2025 scallop fishing season, marking a significant moment for one of the Northeast’s most valuable fisheries. The decision sets annual projected landings at 19.75 million pounds, a substantial drop of nearly 28 percent compared to the 27.4 million pounds projected for 2024.
The reduction comes in response to scientific surveys conducted in 2024, which revealed significant declines in scallop biomass across key fishing grounds. Seafood Source shared that these surveys, performed by institutions such as the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, UMass Dartmouth School for Marine Science and Technology, Maine Department of Marine Resources, and the Coonamessett Farm Foundation, confirmed a troubling downward trend in harvestable stocks.
According to a NEFMC press release, the catch for 2025 is expected to generate approximately $348.25 million—a reflection of the fishery’s high value despite reduced harvests. The current outlook follows a steady decline in scallop landings since a peak of over 60 million pounds in 2019. In subsequent years, landings fell to 47.5 million pounds in 2020, 43 million in 2021, 31.5 million in 2022, and 24 million in 2023.