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DMR Home > Species > Sea Scallop > Season & New Management

2012-2013 Scallop Season and New Management Measures

Three years ago, 13 Scallop Closed Areas encompassing 20% of Maine’s coastal waters were implemented with the goal of rebuilding the scallop resource. Since that time, industry, the Scallop Advisory Council (SAC) and DMR have deliberated over how best to open them to ensure they are not immediately depleted, but instead continue to provide an ongoing benefit that will be sustained into the future. After a total of 22 meetings in the past year, a final rule was voted on by the DMR Advisory Council which puts forward a drastic change in management philosophy for this fishery – rotational management – in addition to several other new measures for the coming 2012-13 season, which include:

  • The establishment of Three Scallop Management Zones;
  • A 10-Year Rotational Management Plan for Eastern Maine (Zone 2);
  • Retaining Closed Areas as Limited Access Areas;
  • A Trigger Mechanism to allow for sustainable harvest from the Limited Access Areas;
  • Nine 2012-13 Season Closures (Union River is OPEN & Mussel Ridge OPEN in December only);
  • A 70-Day Season with a 20 Gallon (185 lbs.) Daily Limit for Zone 1 & 2 (Western & Eastern Maine);
  • A Limited 44-day "Split" Season, 10 Gallon (90 lbs.) Daily Limit with the Whiting/Denny's Bay and St. Croix River Limited Access Areas for Zone 3 (Cobscook Bay region) in lieu of Rotational Management, and
  • A 70-day season with a 20 Gallon (185 lbs.) Daily Limit and retention of the Closed Areas as Limited Access Areas in Zone 1 (Western Maine) in lieu of Rotational Management. 

The Department will continue to have conversations with industry and the SAC on the merits of rotational management for the entire state as well as for a coast wide meat count requirement. However, based on overwhelming public comment, rotational management will not be implemented in Zone 1 or 3, nor will a meat count provision for Zone 1 & 2 be established for this year. It is hoped that you will be part of those conversations in the coming year on how best to proceed forward in a workable way for industry.

If you have any questions, please contact Trisha De Graaf at (207) 624-6554 or by email.

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