August 5, 2015 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:
Today, NOAA Fisheries announces a proposed rule that would allow vessels with both Maine commercial licenses and Federal Northern Gulf of Maine scallop permits to continue fishing in Maine’s state waters once the Federal total allowable catch in this area is harvested.
Maine requested this exemption as part of the Scallop State Water Exemption Program, which allows Federal permit holders to fish in the state waters scallop fishery on a more equitable basis where Federal and state laws are inconsistent.
The Program specifies that a state with a scallop fishery may be eligible for state waters exemptions from specific regulations if it has a scallop conservation program that does not jeopardize the objectives of the Atlantic Sea Scallop FMP.
We have determined that Maine qualifies for this exemption, and that allowing this exemption would have no impact on the effectiveness of Federal management measures for the scallop fishery overall in this area.
Maine requested this exemption only for Northern Gulf of Maine permit holders. Limited access, individual fishing quota, and incidental scallop vessels would still be required to stop fishing for scallops in state waters of the Northern Gulf of Maine if the Federal catch allocation is reached.
Read the proposed rule as published in the Federal Register, which is open for public comment through September 4.
Submit your comments online through Regulations.gov or by mail to:
John K. Bullard, Regional Administrator
NMFS, Greater Atlantic Regional Office
55 Great Republic Drive
Gloucester, MA 01930
Please mark the outside of the envelope: Comments on Atlantic Sea Scallop Proposed Rule.
Questions? Contact Jennifer Goebel, Regional Office, at 978-281-9175 or Jennifer.Goebel@noaa.gov.