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Good afternoon,?
The DMR Advisory Council has reviewed and approved the proposed rulemaking for Chapter 11 Scallops, setting the 2023-2024 season. This notice is to inform harvesters that scallop season materials are now available on the DMR website?under "Maine Scallop Management for 2023-2024" and to also provide a summary of changes for the upcoming 2023-2024 season.?
What's new for 2023-2024??
- For ALL ZONES, scallop harvest may begin 1/2 hour before sunrise.?
- For Zone 1, Sheepscot and Damariscotta Rivers are open as Limited Access Areas; Western Penobscot Area has reverted back to open bottom.?
- For Zone 2, Matinicus Island area has been separated from rotational management and is open annually under the Zone 2 harvest calendar.?
- Also in Zone 2, is a new juvenile conservation closure around Green Island and the Brothers in Englishman Bay.?
And a reminder about electronic reporting:?
Scallop fishery requires electronic reporting of day trips, submitted weekly by Sunday 11:59 p.m. The same information previously requested via paper logbooks can be submitted either through using the online LEEDS reporting platform or the VESL harvester application for iPhone and Android smartphones. For assistance with online reporting, please contact [email protected] or 207-633-9414.?
The 2023-2024 Scallop season page is active! It contains the following downloadable documents:?
- 2022-2023 Drag Calendars (see attached)
- 2022-2023 Dive Calendars (see attached)
- Individual charts for printing of all Zones
The online Scallop Management Areas Map?has been updated to reflect the separation of the drag and dive harvest. Click refresh to update your bookmark before you begin harvest.?
The calendar pdfs (attached links below) also include the Augusta sunrise tables for the duration of the scallop season as a quick reference.??
For questions on scallop management, contact [email protected] @ 207.441.5040.? Also,?scallop questions may be directed to your local patrol officers; Patrol Division Lts (633-9595 for Division 1, or 664-2392 for Division 2).?
For questions on scallop science, surveys, etc., contact Carl Huntsberger. Email: [email protected] or Phone: 207.350.6004.?
CONCISE SUMMARY:
This rule-making establishes the 2023-2024 scallop fishing season for Zones 1, 2, and 3. A 60 day season is established for Zone 1, a 70 day season is established for Zone 2, and a 50 day season is established for Zone 3. Daily possession limits of 15 gallons for Zone 1 and Zone 2, and 10 gallons for Zone 3 remain unchanged. Limited Access Areas for 2023-2024 are identified in the rule. Harvesting of scallops by hand (diving) is restricted to Rotation C (Third) only for the 2023-2024 season. Harvesting for scallops by dredge gear is restricted to Rotation A (First) only for the 2023-2024 season. Rotation B is closed to all harvest. A new juvenile conservation closure, Green Island/The Brothers, in the Englishmen?s/Kennebec River Rotational Area in Zone 2 is established for the 2023-2024 season. This rulemaking also splits the Lower Penobscot Rotational Area, creating an annual open harvest based on Zone 2 calendars for state waters that surround Matinicus and outer islands in Zone 2. Lastly, this rulemaking allows scallop harvest to begin starting ? hour before Augusta sunrise.
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