Scallop season planning just got a lot more real for New England fishermen. NOAA Fisheries has released the 2026 fishing year rules for limited access general category vessels, laying out how much quota the fleet can use, where boats can fish, and what happens if operators go over their limits.
The agency says the new measures take effect on April 1, 2026, and run through March 31, 2027. For many vessel owners, that turns spring prep into a math problem as much as a fishing one, because every pound now matters in a fishery where quota can shape income as much as weather, fuel, or a rough day at sea.
How much scallop quota the fleet gets in 2026
NOAA said the total annual individual fishing quota for the fleet is 939,315 pounds. Of that, 853,923 pounds go to the limited access general category IFQ fleet, while 85,392 pounds are reserved for limited access vessels that also hold LAGC IFQ allocation.
That may sound like inside baseball, but it affects how much scallop meat can legally move from deck to dock. In practical terms, that means captains need to track landings carefully from the first trip of the season instead of waiting to sort it out later.
Why overages could hurt even after a trip is over
NOAA made one point especially clear. Vessels are not allowed to exceed their IFQ allocation at any point during the fishing year, and any overage still on the books at the end of the year will be deducted from next year’s quota pound for pound.
That is the kind of rule that can sting twice. A captain might land too much in one season, then start the next one already behind before the boat even leaves the dock.
Trip limits and daily landing rules are still a big deal
The bulletin also keeps strict possession limits in place. For access area trips, vessels may land no more than 800 pounds of shucked scallops per trip, while open area trips are capped at 600 pounds.
There is also a once-per-calendar-day landing restriction for LAGC vessels. So even if a boat turns around fast, it cannot land scallops twice in the same day, which adds another scheduling layer for crews, dealers, and offloading plans.
Some fishing grounds are changing again
Area changes may matter just as much as quota numbers this year. NOAA said Area II and the Nantucket Lightship North and South rotational areas will be closed for fishing year 2026, while Elephant Trunk becomes open bottom on April 1 and Area I switches to open bottom on May 31.
That reshuffles where effort may go, and fishermen know what that can mean. A closure on paper can quickly become more fuel burned, longer steam times, and harder choices about whether a trip still pencils out after paying the diesel bill.
What vessel owners need to do next
NOAA said updated IFQ information and vessel letters will be uploaded to Fish Online, where vessels can also exchange quota. The broader rule package comes through Framework Adjustment 40, which reshapes how the 2026 fishing year will operate.
At the end of the day, what this bulletin is really doing is setting the guardrails before the season gets underway. The main official bulletin has been published by NOAA Fisheries.