ELLSWORTH, Maine — November 23, 2013 — It may not be like 30 years ago, when Maine’s coastal scallop fishery was at its peak, but 2012 produced the highest value for the annual fishery in the past 12 years.
According to state officials, this is a sign that the strict conservation approach that Maine has pursued since 2009 is starting to show positive results. That strict approach is expected to continue, though some specific regulations may be changing, for the 2013-2014 season, which is set to begin early next month.
Scallop fishing in the 2012 calendar year netted nearly 290,000 pounds of scallop meat for Maine’s statewide scallop fishing fleet, according to statistics compiled by the Maine Department of Marine Resources. That is the highest landings total for the fishery since 2002, when 348,000 pounds were harvested.
Thanks to continued strong consumer demand for sea scallops, Maine fishermen earned a record average statewide price of $11.18 per pound in 2012, making the total value of last year’s haul $3.24 million. The highest statewide total prior to that was in 2000, when fishermen had a cumulative gross revenue of $3.88 million.
“Maine’s scallop fishery is vital to our state,” Gov. Paul LePage said recently in a prepared statement, adding that it helps to provide jobs and income for people who work in other fisheries, too. “I commend the dedication by those in the industry to make the necessary sacrifices to restore a resource that fuels our coastal economy.”
Patrick Keliher, head of DMR, said in the same statement that the new management approach has been “challenging,” but gave credit to fishermen for making it work.
Read the full story from The Bangor Daily News