Tag Archives: Harbor & Shellfish Advisory Board
With More Scallops But Fewer Fishermen, Select Board Raises Bushel Limit For Commercial Fleet
There are more adult scallops in Nantucket Harbor than at any time since 2012, according to the town’s Natural Resources Department. That year, the island’s commercial fleet harvested more than 18,000 bushels, far beyond what fishermen have caught in recent years. That should be good news. But the problem is that today, there are approximately 75 percent fewer fishermen out on the water scalloping. So, on Wednesday, acting on a recommendation from the Harbor & Shellfish Advisory Board, the members of the Select Board voted unanimously to increase the bay scallop bushel limit for commercial scallopers from five bushels to six bushels per commercial license for the remainder of the 2024-2025 bay scallop season. “The amount of adults in the harbor this year from our surveys is equivalent to what we had in 2012,” said Tara Riley, the town’s shellfish and aquatic resource manager. “In 2012, we had around 200 permits with around 97 people actively fishing, and we pulled out around 18,000 bushels. Right now, we have 25 boats going. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 14:57
