A federal agency has closed waters off the coast of Maine to scallop fishing until annual catch limits can be established.
The National Marine Fisheries Service at 4 p.m. Friday closed the Northern Gulf of Maine Scallop Management Area to all federally permitted limited access general category scallop vessels.
Local fishermen in Maine and Massachusetts will still be able to operate in state waters.
The area, which spans the full coast of Maine, will be closed until March 31, 2026, but could reopen sooner if final 2025 scallop fishery specifications are approved, according to the agency, also known as NOAA Fisheries.
The closure is the first in 15 years, according to the Portland Press Herald.