Closure of the Northern Gulf of Maine Scallop Management Area for Limited Access General Category Vessels

The NGOM Scallop Management Area is closed to all federally permitted LAGC scallop vessels effective 1800 hr, on April 11, 2025, except as exempted below. The scallop regulations require that we close this area once we project that 100 percent of the 2025 NGOM Set-Aside will be taken. The closure will be in effect until the end of the fishing year (March 31, 2026) or until final 2025 specifications are approved.

The proposed rule for Framework Adjustment 39 to the Fishery Management Plan, which would increase the NGOM Set-Aside, published on March 18, 2025, and the comment period closed on April 2, 2025. If Framework 39 is approved, the final rule implementing final 2025 scallop fishery specifications would reopen the NGOM Management Area under the proposed NGOM Set-Aside for the remainder of 2025, if appropriate.

LAGC vessels that have declared a trip into the NGOM Scallop Management Area using the correct Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) code and have crossed the VMS demarcation line before 1800 hr, April 11, 2025, may complete their trip and retain and land scallops caught from the NGOM Scallop Management Area. Except for vessels that have met these trip completion requirements, no LAGC scallop vessel fishing under federal scallop regulations subject to this closure may fish for, possess, or land scallops in or from the NGOM Scallop Management Area.

This closure does not apply to who are participating in the 2025 scallop Research Set-Aside Program and have been issued letters of authorization to conduct compensation fishing activities in the NGOM.

Exemption for Maine and Massachusetts Vessels Fishing Exclusively State Waters

Vessels issued an LAGC NGOM (LAGC B) or Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) scallop permit (LAGC A) may continue to fish in the Maine and Massachusetts state waters portion of the NGOM Scallop Management Area under the State Waters Exemption program provided they have a valid Maine or Massachusetts state scallop permit and fish only in that state's waters.

IFQ Vessel Owners Please Note: An IFQ scallop vessel must have scallop IFQ allocation to fish for scallops at any time or place. For vessels fishing under an IFQ scallop permit (LAGC A), all scallop pounds landed, including scallops caught under a state waters only trip, will be deducted from the vessel's IFQ allocation.