The Maine Department of Marine Resources is proposing limiting the scope and amount of scallop harvesting along Maine’s coast to protect the fishery from overfishing.
The DMR is proposing cutting the number of scallop fishing days for Maine scallop harvesters from 136 to 52, closing about a third of the coast to harvesting and limiting the daily statewide catch to 200 pounds, according to The Quoddy Tides. The proposals are in response to a 96% decline in recorded scallop landings from 1980 to 2007.
The proposed rule changes have sparked debate, mainly in the Cobscook Bay area, where scallop harvesting is prominent.
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