June 20, 2013 — Eight congressmen led by Rep. William Keating have written to fisheries managers asking for a close look at the effects of reopening some areas closed to scallopers for 20 years.
Keating, along with Reps. Ed Markey and Stephen Lynch, all D-Mass., wrote that the northern edge of Georges Bank has an estimated 30 million pounds of harvestable scallops, worth $300 million at today's prices.
"Being able to open that area, and others like it, while protecting groundfish habitats would be a great benefit for fishing communities in New England," they wrote.
The groundfish protection is the concern of some environmental groups, which usually oppose reopening closed areas as they did earlier this year in the groundfish fishery.
Read the full story at the New Bedford Standard-Times