Atlantic Scallop Harvests Anticipated to Drop to 17.1 Million Pounds for 2025

The challenges for the scallop fishing industry in the U.S. Northeast show no signs of letting up.

A SeafoodSource report noted that the New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC) approved Framework Adjustment 40, assigning 36 days-at-sea for full-time Limited Access permit holders and 14.4 days for part-time holders. The council projects 2025 landings at about 17.1 million pounds — well below the 2019 peak of 60 million pounds harvested.

According to SeafoodSource, since 2019, historical harvests have tumbled from approximately 60 million pounds to 19.75 million pounds in 2024. Total fishery value peaked at roughly $672 million in 2021 and has since slid to $333 million by 2024. Forecasts suggest further declines into 2026.

Northern Wind CEO Ken Melanson expects landings of around 20 million pounds for 2025 and 2026. Any meaningful recovery is unlikely before 2027 or 2028, all contingent on biomass improvements.

The industry overall is seeing consolidation and strategic acquisitions as quotas tighten, exemplified by Northern Wind's purchase of Atlantic Capes Fisheries.

“It was scallops; it was the reason why we targeted Atlantic Capes,” Melanson said in a statement to SeafoodSource. “There's only a handful of people who basically deal with 80% of the total quota here domestically in the scallop business … with the diminishing quotas and everything else, it just made all the sense in the world — rather than go out there and fight for customers.”

Industry insiders also note a heavy reliance on imports — which accounts for roughly half of sales — due to tight domestic supply. The market has shifted toward smaller scallops (units ranging from u10s to 30-40s), which could pressure prices and alter market dynamics.

NEFMC's Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) released its own report, which found that Atlantic sea scallops are currently in decline. While the factors behind these declines remain uncertain, they have led to a string of lowered quotas.

“I'm not sure that everybody is going to be able to make it through the ‘lean years' if you will, but we certainly will,” Melanson said.