Local scallop dredgers had an opportunity to fish closer to home in areas previously closed for decades under a state Division of Marine Fisheries pilot program.
The North Shore Sea Scallop program ran Feb. 15 to April 30 in two areas just off the North Shore that had been closed year-round due to past fixed gear conflicts, mostly with buoyed lobster gear, according to Story Reed, assistant director of DMF’s North Shore Field Station.
Reed said DMF decided to run this pilot program because local scallop dredgers approached the agency last year about opening some new harvest areas and because state waters are now closed to fixed-gear lobster fishing between February and into May.
“We decided that the gear conflict issue was gone so we were willing to give it a try,” Reed said.
While 31 vessels were authorized to participate in the program, 21 actually did so. The 21 vessels made approximately 262 trips in total which Reed said produced a good haul of 27,000 pounds of scallop meat.
“Based on the data that the fishermen provide us and the information that the dealers provide us on how much they’re paying for the product, we estimate the value of the product (the vessels) took out of those areas is approximately $690,000,” he said.
Another benefit of the program was the opened areas’ proximity to shore. The northern area was located in state waters just off Eastern Point in Gloucester and the other one was near Marblehead, Swampscott and Nahant.
“These areas were closer to home so (fishermen’s) expenses were down. They didn’t have to deal with as much weather to get there,” Reed said. “This was generally a positive thing.”
Intershell Marina owner Monte Rome agreed, saying any measures taken by the state to support fisheries is a positive but the program does not have significant implications on future scalloping.
One of the reasons the implications are not overly significant is because the areas dredged as part of the program, especially the southern area, contain rocks along the sea floor which can damage and break gear.
“I think it’s a positive but will people take advantage of it is the question,” Rome said. “I think it’s a plus to give guys who can’t lobster in the winter months a chance to go out there and make money in the wintertime.”
Using the data collected, DMF was able to create maps that showed where within each area vessels were finding scallops. Reed said that data would help with future regulations.
Looking forward, Reed said DMF is going to talk to the Marine Fisheries Advisory Commission in the fall about running the program again in 2027.
Staff Writer Bobby Grady may be contacted at 978-675-2714 or bgrady@gloucestertimes.com.