2022 Fishing Year Individual Fishing Quota Allocations for the Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery

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For vessels participating in the Northern Gulf of Maine please see the Northern Gulf of Maine Bulletin 

**NEW**Temporary Transfer of IFQ from Limited Access Vessels with IFQ (Combo Vessels) to LAGC IFQ-only Vessels

Vessels with both limited access and IFQ permits (combo vessels) may now temporarily transfers IFQ from the combo vessel to an LAGC IFQ-only permit.  However, combo vessels are still prohibited from transferring quota to other combo vessels and/or permanently transferring any IFQ to any vessel.

Fishing Year 2022 IFQ Allocations

The table below includes the  LAGC fleet fishing year 2022 IFQ allocations effective April 1, 2022, through March 31, 2023.  We will upload your vessel’s updated 2022 IFQ and your IFQ letter to Fish Online based on the following allocations.  Vessels can exchange IFQ via Fish Online or the IFQ Transfer Form.

**REMINDER** For IFQ vessels, all scallop harvest counts against your IFQ, regardless of where it is caught, including state waters.

IFQ Overage Payback (accountability measure)

You are prohibited from exceeding your IFQ allocation at any time during the fishing year. If you have exceeded your IFQ, you must balance an overage through temporary IFQ leases and/or permanent allocation transfers prior to any additional fishing activity. However, balancing an IFQ overage does not negate any potential violation related to exceeding your IFQ. If you exceed your yearly IFQ allocation, we will deduct any overages that remain at the end of the fishing year from the following year’s IFQ allocation on a pound-for-pound basis.

Change to Access Area Possession Limits

**LAGC IFQ may now possess up to 800 lb for access area trips and up to 600 lb for open area trips.  **

2022 Access Area Closures

The following areas are closed for scallop fishing year 2022 (see map above and coordinates below):

• Closed Area II-East
• Nantucket Lightship-North
• Nantucket Lightship-Triangle
• NEW AREA: **Nantucket Lightship-West**
• NEW AREA: **New York Bight**

Fishing Year 2022 Access Area Allocations

Framework 34 allocates effort into two rotational access areas (Nantucket Lightship-South-Deep Access Area and Closed Area I Access Area).

Fishing Year 2022 LAGC IFQ Trip Allocations for Scallop Access Areas

Atlantic Sea Scallop Quota Monitoring Page

 **IMPORTANT** Fishing Year 2021 Carryover for Mid-Atlantic Access Area (MAAA)

Framework 34 reverts the MAAA to open area after the 60-day carryover period ends to allow vessels to harvest any remaining fishing year 2021 MAAA allocation (through May 30, 2022). On May 31, 2022, the MAAA will revert to open bottom. The New York Bight Rotational Closure will be effective on April 1, 2022; however, the portion of the New York Bight rotational closure that overlaps with the MAAA will continue to be accessible for vessels fishing carryover trips through May 30, 2022.

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LAGC Incidental Scallop Target TAC

The incidental scallop target TAC for fishing year 2022 is 50,000 lb. Vessels issued an LAGC Incidental Catch scallop permit may land up to 40 lb shucked or 5 U.S. bu of in-shell scallops per trip.

Fishing Year 2022 Flatfish ACLs in the Scallop Fishery

Important LAGC Program Reminders

Observer Program Updates

Set-Aside Compensation

LAGC IFQ vessels are now eligible for additional compensation when carrying an observer on board and fishing trips longer than 1 day (24 hours). The daily compensation rate, of 200 lb, will be prorated at 12-hour increments for trips exceeding 24 hours. The amount of compensation a vessel could receive on 1 trip would be capped at 2 days (48 hours) and vessels fishing longer than 48 hours will not receive additional compensation allocation. For example, if the observer compensation rate is 200 lb/day and an LAGC IFQ vessel carrying an observer departs on July 1 at 2200 and lands on July 3 at 0100, the length of the trip would equal 27 hours, or 1 day and 3 hours. In this example, the LAGC IFQ vessel would be eligible for 1 day plus 12 hours of compensation allocation, i.e., 300 lb. An LAGC IFQ vessel will be able to harvest the trip limit and the daily compensation rate on the observed trip, or the vessel could harvest any unfished compensation on a subsequent trip while adhering to the commercial possession limit.

If we select your IFQ vessel for an open area or access area observed trip, you will receive observer compensation credit as described above if the observer set-aside has not been fully harvested. You can fish those additional pounds on the observed IFQ trip above the regular possession limit or on a subsequent trip that fishing year. However, if you harvest the additional pounds on a subsequent trip, you must remain within the possession limits.

We monitor the compensation rates and observer set-aside use closely throughout the year. If information suggests that a different rate is necessary to account for unexpected fishery conditions, we will change the compensation rate as appropriate and necessary. 

Call-In and Survival Craft Requirements

Please read the following letters regarding important information and updates.

Survival Craft Requirements Regarding Capacity

Industry Funded Scallop Program Call-In Requirements

Industry Funded Scallop Call-In Guide

LAGC Calendar Day Landing Restriction

LAGC vessels may not land scallops more than once per calendar day.  For example, an LAGC vessel that lands scallops on Monday may depart on a second trip on the same day it landed scallops (Monday), but cannot land scallops again until Tuesday.

Scallop Pre-Landing Notification

LAGC IFQ vessels must send a Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) Scallop Pre-Landing Notification form at least 6 hours before arrival on the way back to port, or immediately after fishing ends if less than 6 hours before arrival. In addition, you must submit this form on trips that are not declared as scallop trips, but on which scallops are kept incidentally. 

Forms must include the:

• Operator’s permit number;
• Vessel trip report (VTR) serial number recorded from that trip's VTR;
• Estimated amount of scallop meats and/or bushels to be landed;
• Estimated time and date of arrival in port;
• Port city and state at which the scallops will be landed; and
• Whether any scallops were caught in the NGOM.

Stellwagen Bank Historic Shipwreck Avoidance

NOAA Fisheries, in conjunction with NOAA Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary (Sanctuary), requests that vessels avoid shipwreck sites on southern Stellwagen Bank within the Sanctuary by keeping gear 400 feet away from each of the site locations listed below. For details on the location of the wrecks please visit the Stellwagen Bank Historic Shipwreck Avoidance Webpage.

Shell Stock Restrictions

• Vessels fishing in the Georges Bank paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) closure area may not retain in-shell scallops.
• Vessels may possess no more than 75 bu of in-shell scallops shoreward of the VMS demarcation line.
• A vessel declared into the Sea Scallop Area Access Program may not possess more than 75 bu of in-shell scallops outside of the access area.
• Vessels issued an LAGC NGOM scallop permit and IFQ vessels fishing in the NGOM may possess no more than 25 bu in-shell scallops shoreward of the VMS demarcation line.
• See the shellstock conversion sheet at the bottom of this page for additional information

Fishing Year 2022 Rotational Area Coordinates

Access Areas for Fishing Year 2022

Closed Area I Access Area (RSA Only)

Nantucket Lightship-South-Deep Access Area

Closed Area II Access Area

¹ The intersection of 41°0′ N lat. and the U.S.-Canada Maritime Boundary, approximately 41°0′ N lat. and 66°09.33′ W long.

² From Point CAIISWE 4 connected to Point CAIISWE5 along the U.S.-Canada Maritime Boundary.

³ The intersection of 40°40′ N lat. and the U.S.-Canada Maritime Boundary, approximately 40°40′ N lat. and 65°52.61′ W long.

Closed Areas for Fishing Year 2022

Closed Area II-East Closed Area

¹ The intersection of 41°30′ N lat. and the U.S.-Canada Maritime Boundary, approximately 41°30′ N lat., 66°34.73′ W long.

² From Point CAIIE2 connected to Point CAIIE3 along the U.S.-Canada Maritime Boundary.

³ The intersection of 41°00′ N lat. and the U.S.-Canada Maritime Boundary, approximately 41°00′ N lat. and 66°09.33′ W long.

Nantucket Lightship-Triangle Closed Area

Nantucket Lightship-North Closed Area

Nantucket Lightship-West Scallop Closed Area

New York Bight Scallop Closed Area

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This bulletin serves as a Small Entity Compliance Guide, complying with section 212 of the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996.