Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery; Closure of the Area I, Area II, and New York Bight Scallop Access Areas to General Category Individual Fishing Quota Scallop Vessels

NMFS announces that the Area I, Area II, and New York Bight Scallop Access Areas are closed to Limited Access General Category Individual Fishing Quota scallop vessels for the remainder of the 2024 fishing year. Regulations require this action once it is projected that 100 percent of trips allocated to the Limited Access General Category Individual Fishing Quota scallop vessels for the Area I, Area II, and New York Bight Scallop Access Areas will be taken. This action is intended to prevent the number of trips in the Area I, Area II, and New York Bight Scallop Access Areas from exceeding what is allowed under the Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery Management Plan.