Final rule · 2026-07187

Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery; 2026 Closure of the Northern Gulf of Maine Scallop Management Area to the Limited Access General Category Fishery

NMFS announces the closure of the Northern Gulf of Maine (NGOM) Scallop Management Area for the remainder of the 2026 fishing year for Limited Access General Category (LAGC) vessels. Regulations require this action once NMFS projects that 100 percent of the Northern Gulf of Maine Set-Aside will be harvested. This action is intended to prevent the overharvest of the 2026 Northern Gulf of Maine Set-Aside.