Code of Maine Rules › 13 - DEPARTMENT OF MARINE RESOURCES › 188 - MARINE RESOURCES - GENERAL › Chapter 11 - SCALLOPS › Section 188-11-08 - Targeted Scallop Conservation Closures

Current through 2024-29, July 17, 2024
Targeted closures are imposed as conservation measures to
				  assist in rebuilding specific areas of the state. Targeted closures may be
				  implemented based on depletion, seed, the presence of spat-producing scallops,
				  and other conservation factors as determined by the Commissioner. Targeted
				  closures are not seasonal closures and are implemented in order to improve and
				  enhance the conservation and rebuilding of the resource in these specific
				  areas.
It shall be unlawful to fish for, take, or possess scallops
				  taken by any method within any of the following closed areas.
Transiting exception:
Any vessel possessing scallops onboard, may transit these
				  targeted closures only if the vessel has all fishing gear (dredges, drags,
				  regulators, buoyancy compensators, fins, tanks, weight belts) securely stowed.
				  Securely stowed shall mean the main wire shall not be shackled or connected to
				  the dredges or drags, and the towing swivel will be at block or on the winch
				  for draggers, while regulators, buoyancy compensators and tanks should be
				  disconnected with fins and weight belts removed for divers.
1. Lower Muscle Ridge
Northern boundary: East and South of a line beginning at the
				  most eastern tip of Whitehead Island, St. George, to the southern tip of Seal
				  Island (Hay Ledges) continuing to the most southwestern point of Graffam
				  Island, then continuing to the southwestern point of Pleasant Island and
				  continuing in a southeasterly direction to the northeastern tip of Two Bush
				  Island.
Southern boundary: North of a line starting at the most
				  southern point of Whitehead Island, St. George, to the southern end of Two Bush
				  Island.
2. Eastern Casco
				Bay
Eastern boundary: West and North of a line drawn from the
				  most southern tip of Gun Point, Harpswell, to G "3", South of Round Rock;
				  continuing in a southwesterly direction to R N "2" at Eastern Drunkers
				  Ledge.
Western boundary: East and North of a line draw from R N "2"
				  at Eastern Drunkers Ledge to the most southern tip of Jaquish Island; then east
				  of a line from the most northwestern tip of Jaquish Island at Latitude 43º
				  42.950N Longitude 70º 00.137W to the most southeastern tip of land along
				  Jaquish Gut at Latitude 43º 43.043N Longitude 70º 00.128W.
3. Upper Sheepscot River
Western boundary: East of a line drawn from the most southern
				  tip of Hockomock Point, Woolwich to the most northern tip of Mill Point,
				  Arrowsic Island, and following the shoreline to the Arrowsic Island-Georgetown
				  Island bridge, and then continuing along the northern coastline to the
				  northeast tip of Dry Point, Georgetown Island.
Eastern boundary: West of a line drawn at the most northern
				  tip of Soldier Point, Georgetown Island running north to the most southern tip
				  of Westport Island.
Southern boundary: North of a line drawn from the most
				  southern point of Kehail Point running northeasterly to the most southern point
				  of Barters Island and continuing southeasterly to the most northwestern tip of
				  Sawyer Island.
4. New
				Meadows River
Southeast boundary: North of a line drawn from the
				  southernmost tip of Birch Point, Phippsburg, to the southernmost tip of Long
				  Island, Harpswell, then continuing along the western coastline to the northern
				  tip of Long Island, Harpswell, then a line drawn due west to the nearest point
				  of land on Sebascodegan Island, Harpswell.
Southwestern boundary: North of the Route 24 Gurnet Bridge
				  (Harpswell).
5. Card Cove
West of a line drawn from the southeastern most tip of
				  Pinkham Point, Harpswell, in a southwesterly direction to the nearest point of
				  land and to include all of Card Cove, Harpswell.
6. Beals-Jonesport Bridge
Eastern boundary: West of a line drawn from the most eastern
				  tip of Perio Point, Beals to OW Look's wharf, Jonesport.
Western boundary: East of the Jonesport-Beals Bridge.
7. Green Island/The Brothers
Inside a line starting at the southwestern tip of The
				  Brothers Island, running along the southern shore to the northeastern tip of
				  The Brothers Island, then running northeasterly to the green buoy (G"1" Bell),
				  continuing northwest to the red buoy (RN"2"), continuing westerly to the
				  eastern tip of Green Island and running along the north shore of Green Island
				  to the western tip of Green Island, and then running southerly to meet the
				  southwestern tip of The Brothers Island
8. Roque Island Harbor & Little Kennebec
				Bay within Englishman Bay Rotational Area
Southern boundary. North of a line starting at the eastern
				  tip of Great Spruce Island, and continuing easterly to the western tip of The
				  Brothers, running along the southern shore to the eastern tip of The Brothers
				  then continuing northeasterly to the green buoy (G"1" Bell), then running north
				  to the southern tip of Hickey Island and continuing east to Point of Main,
				  Machiasport.
9. Harrington
				River within Addison Rotational Area
Southern boundary: North of a line beginning at the eastern
				  tip on the southern shore of Northeast Cove, Dyer Island, and running easterly
				  to Red Nun 4, then continuing on to Red Nun 2, and continuing northeasterly to
				  the southern tip of Narrows Island, running north along the eastern shoreline
				  to the northern tip of Narrows Island and running to the eastern tip of Willard
				  Point, Ripley Neck.
The
				  amended version of this section by
				  filing
				  2024-020, eff.
				  1/28/2024 is not yet
				  available.