Northern Edge

The New England Fishery Management Council has begun work on an action to consider revisions to the Habitat Management Area on the Northern Edge of Georges Bank. The Council prioritized this work in December 2022 when it established 2023 priorities. On April 18, 2023, the Council approved the goal and objectives for this work and initiated a joint habitat-scallop framework action.

• Habitat Management Considerations for the Northern Edges of Georges Bank – White Paper Prepared by Habitat Plan Development Team

• Impact of Disturbance on Habitat Recovery in Habitat Management Areas on the Northern Edge of Georges Bank: Ecosystem Perturbation Experiment – Before/After Control Impact (BACI) Study Final Report

• Northern Edge Habitat-Scallop Framework Goal and Objectives

The Northern Edge is roughly defined as the area encompassed within the Closed Area II Habitat Management Area (HMA) and the adjacent portion of the Northern Flank of Georges Bank. – New England Fishery Management Council graphic

The map above shows approximate area sizes for productive scallop grounds (blue outlines) with recent Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) data, which is representative of scallop fishing between April and June 2022. The size of the Northern Edge is similar to areas that have experienced concentrated fishing, such as Stellwagen Bank. Area sizes are based on the boundaries used in the Scallop Area Management Simulator (SAMS) model, which is used to project scallop biomass. – New England Fishery Management Council graphic