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Lawmakers, council and scientists discuss scallop stock trends and access to Georges Bank’s northern edge
Summary
A joint legislative hearing heard scientists and New England Fishery Management Council staff explain recent scallop recruitment, falling biomass and why the council discontinued consideration of opening the Northern Edge of Georges Bank to scallop dredging.
Senators heard scientific and management testimony on Aug. 14 about recent changes in the Atlantic sea scallop fishery, including a surge in small scallops that has raised abundance while lowering overall biomass and the council’s decision not to reopen the Northern Edge of Georges Bank to scallop dredging.
The hearing, convened by Senator Marc R. Montigny, brought staff from the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries and the New England Fishery Management Council to explain federal management, stock surveys and the trade-offs that led the council to discontinue consideration of access to the Northern Edge.
The nut graf: Scientists told the committee that a large recruitment of small scallops has increased animal counts but kept overall weight — biomass — low, complicating annual catch advice and rotational-area planning. Council staff said the Northern Edge is both highly productive for scallops and designated a habitat area of particular concern (HAPC) for juvenile cod, lobster and herring, a combination that produced…
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