The New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC) voted to enact Framework 39 for the 2025 scallop fishing season – which includes a significant drop in the scallop allowable catch.
The latest scallop fishing framework places annual projected landings at 19.75 million pounds, a nearly 28 percent drop from the 27.4 million pounds projected for 2024. A press release from the NEFMC predicted the catch would generate roughly USD 348.25 million (EUR 329 million) for the fishery.
The decrease in total allowable catch comes after scientific surveys of the scallop fishing areas off the coast of the Northeast U.S. showed the biomass decreased from 2023 to 2024. Surveys performed in 2024 by the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, UMass Dartmouth School for Marine Science and Technology, Maine Department of Marine Resources, and the Coonamessett Farm Foundation showed the biomass dropped in multiple regions.
“The population of harvestable-sized scallops expected to be available for the 2025 fishing year also remains low and may result in reduced allocations to the fishery,” a NEFMC press release predicted in October.
Those predictions proved true, and now the 2025 season is set to continue a downward trend for the scallop fishery. The allowable catch peaked in 2019 with a historically high harvest of over 60 million pounds, and since then steadily dropped with the fishery landing 47.5 million pounds in 2020, 43 million pounds in 2021, 31.5 million pounds in 2022, and 24 million pounds in 2023.
The Fisheries Survival Fund – which was established to advocate for the long-term sustainability of the Northeast U.S. scallop stock – supported the council’s decision and advocated for it to select Framework 39 before the council meeting. The organization said the allocations “reflect the need for pragmatic balancing” of fishing effort in the region to ensure the continued success of the fishery.
New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell also wrote to the council in support of Framework 39. New Bedford, Massachusetts is consistently ranked among one of the top ports by value in the U.S. – in part thanks to the high value of the scallop fishery.
“The scallop industry is a cornerstone of New Bedford's economy, supporting not only fishermen and their families, but also the numerous shoreside businesses that rely on its success,” Mitchell wrote.
In addition to setting a lower quota, the council also proposed closures for a number of fishing access areas. Elephant Trunk, Nantucket Lightship north and south, and Platts Bank will all be closed to fishing in 2025.
NEFMC supported allocating full-time scallop permit holders two access area trips in 2025 – one trip to Scallop Access Area I and the other trip to Scallop Access Area II. Each trip has a 12,000-pound trip limit, equating to 24,000 pounds per vessel. Vessels will also have 24 open-area days-at-sea for that component of the scallop fishery.
Part-time limited access vessels will be allowed to access one of the two open areas, with a 9,600 pound trip limit and 9.6 open-area days-at-sea.
The council also delayed the opening day for scallop access area fishing, moving it back from 1 April to 15 May.
“The delayed opening would keep vessels from harvesting scallops early in the year before meats have had the chance to increase in weight,” NEFMC said. “This step also is expected to reduce overall mortality in access areas.”
The council said the 60-day window to fish remaining allocations from 2024 will begin on 15 May, 2025. The season delay will also remain in place going forward until changed.
NEFMC also expanded seasonal closures in Scallop Access Area II, with the new closure running from 15 November to 15 May “to improve scallop yield and reduce impacts on Georges Bank yellowtail flounder and northern windowpane flounder.”
While the catch is projected to be the lowest it has been in a decade, the council did highlight positive news for the fishery. The Elephant Trunk fishing area saw signs of strong recruitment during the 2024 survey season – which is part of why the area is closed to fishing to protect the small scallops residing there.
The Nantucket Lightship region is also showing positive signs for future scallop catches, NEFMC said.
“Scallop survey partners also found very high densities of juvenile scallops in the Nantucket Lightship-South Area, and the recruitment event extended to the boundary of Nantucket Lightship-North,” NEFMC said. “Assuming they survive through the next two years, these scallops could contribute to the fishery by fishing year 2027.”
