A key Maine advisory council is approving the rules for the state’s upcoming scallop fishing season.

The state Department of Marine Resources said Wednesday that the council has signed off on proposed rules. They call for the season to last from Dec. 1 to April 11. Zones one and two will have a 70-day season while zone three will have a 50-day season. Zone three includes scallop-rich Cobscook Bay.

The rules also include numerous closures. There will be a “trigger mechanism” that allows the commissioner to close harvesting for the rest of the season if more than 30 percent of scallops that can be harvested are removed.

The state is using the rules to rebuild the fishery. Fishermen caught 424,547 pounds of scallops in 2013, the most since 2000.


Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.

Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.