April 26, 2019 — Federal fishing managers say they are shutting down a key scallop fishing area to some boats for nearly a year.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says its closure will apply to the northern Gulf of Maine area. The closure goes into effect on Thursday and is scheduled to last until March 31, 2020.
NOAA says scallop boats that fish under federal regulations will not be able to fish for or possess scallops from the northern Gulf of Maine, nor will they be able to bring the scallops to land. The agency says the closure is required because the total allowable catch for the area is projected to be taken.
New Bedford scalloper Eric Hansen said the shut down will have “very little” impact on New Bedford fishermen, since they did not land any scallops in that area of the Gulf of Maine last year.
Read the full story from the Associated Press at the New Bedford Standard-Times