Scallop Draggers

[MadisonK]

I have a question about scallop draggers. What are the rules and regs for this commercial fishery? I dove in a spot off Manchester yesterday where the sea floor looks like a race track. There were troughs from scallop draggers everywhere. The bottom was almost barren of life. We managed to collect enough small to mediums for a meal but there were none of the bigger ones we saw earlier this summer.

 

[krustykrab]

I have a question about scallop draggers. What are the rules and regs for this commercial fishery? I dove in a spot off Manchester yesterday where the sea floor looks like a race track. There were troughs from scallop draggers everywhere. The bottom was almost barren of life. We managed to collect enough small to mediums for a meal but there were none of the bigger ones we saw earlier this summer.

Well, it seems quite confusing actually... :11:

see:
http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dmf/commercialfishing/2004regssummary.pdf
and...
http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dmf/commercialfishing/322cmr3.htm#3.04

excerpt:
(2) North Shore Region Year-Round Closure (New Hampshire border to Winthrop). It is unlawful to use mobile gear in territorial waters encompassed by an imaginary line beginning at the shoreline in Winthrop; thence following Loran C 44290 line in an easterly direction to the line of 1881; thence in a northeasterly direction along the line of 1881 to its intersection with the territorial seas line; thence in a northeasterly direction along the territorial seas line to the seaward junction of the New Hampshire/Massachusetts boundary; thence shoreward along the New Hampshire/Massachusetts boundary to the shoreline; thence in a southerly direction to the starting point, except as provided for in 322 CMR 3.04(2)(a) and (b) as subject to the provisions of 322 CMR(2)(c), and as provided for in 322 CMR 4.02 dealing with the use and regulation of nets in inshore waters.

Scallop dragging looks like it is supposed to be closed on the north shore during the summer months, so I am curious to see what others have to say about what you saw. I heard from CAD a while ago that some boats get a sea urchin dragging license and then are allowed to keep the scallops as "bycatch" but it looks from these regulations that all mobile gear use is restricted...???