July 15, 2020 — As the coronavirus pandemic continues, NOAA Fisheries “is continuing to assess the status of other surveys in the region” but have decided to cancel annual surveys for sea scallops and Atlantic surfclam/ocean quahog that would normally be underway now in the Northeast.
“These are difficult decisions for the agency as we strive to balance our need to maintain core mission responsibilities with the realities and impacts of the current health crisis,” the agency said in a press release dated July 10.