NOAA Fisheries Recommends Eight Projects in 2025 Sea Scallop Research Set-Aside Program
Projects contribute key data to support scallop fishery management.
Image
NOAA Fisheries is recommending eight new projects to receive awards through the Scallop Research Set-Aside Program. These projects support applied research that informs how we manage one of the most valuable wild-caught fisheries in the nation—and the program has a demonstrated track record.
Instead of awarding federal funds, this unique program sets aside a portion of scallops that would otherwise be available for commercial harvest. Those pounds are awarded to researchers who then work with the fishing industry to both conduct their research and harvest the scallops to fund the work.
This year’s recommended projects would award more than 2 million pounds of sea scallops. At an estimated $15 per pound, we expect the awards to generate at least $35 million. Of that amount, $7 million will directly support the research. The remaining $28 million will go to harvesters—many of whom are small business owners and local fishing families.
“The Scallop Research Set-Aside Program continues to be a big investment in supporting a sustainable and successful scallop fishery,” said Greater Atlantic Regional Administrator Michael Pentony. “This year we’re excited to offer multiple 4-year scallop survey awards to two of our longstanding program partners. These projects will ensure resource-wide survey coverage that will help us navigate challenges the fishery is facing due to low numbers of harvest-size scallops.”
The U.S. sea scallop fishery is a major contributor to the national seafood economy. In 2023, commercial scallop landings totaled 27.4 million pounds, valued at $360 million—making it the largest wild scallop fishery in the world.
The recommended projects align with top research priorities identified by the New England Fishery Management Council, including regular scallop surveys that feed critical data into stock assessments. In 2024, the program expanded to offer up to 4 years of funding for large-scale regional surveys.
The research set-aside program is a model of innovation. It funds essential research without using federal dollars and builds strong partnerships between scientists and the fishing industry. NOAA Fisheries currently supports research set-aside programs for Atlantic sea scallops and monkfish.
These project recommendations are not final. They are pending further review and approval by NOAA’s Grants Officer and the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Federal Assistance Law Division. This announcement does not bind NOAA or the federal government. This is not an authorization to start the project and is not a guarantee of award.
To learn more about the Scallop and Monkfish Research Set-Aside Programs, or these recommendations, contact Ryan Silva.
2025 Scallop Research Set-Aside Surveys
Image
Recommended 2025 Sea Scallop Research Set-Aside Projects
At this point in the selection process, the application approval is not final. Final selections are contingent on NOAA Grants Officer review and approval, in conjunction with clearance by the DOC Federal Assistance Law Division. This announcement does not bind NOAA or the federal government. This is not an authorization to start the project and is not a guarantee of award.
| Institution | Project Title | Total Budget | Allocation(lbs) |
| Commercial Fisheries Research Foundation (CFRF) | Refining Dredge Bag Modifications to Reduce Small Scallop and Sand Dollar Bycatch | $471,787 | 2025: 31,452 |
CFRF | Expanding the Research Fleet Approach in the Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery | $918,789 | 2025: 42,418 2026: 18,834 |
Coonamessett Farm Foundation (CFF) | Seasonal Survey on the Eastern Part of Georges Bank | $1,470,490 | 2025: 98,033 |
CFF | Assessing the Recruitment Dynamics and Impacts of Offshore Wind Development on Larval Atlantic Sea Scallops with a Novel 47-Year Dataset along the U.S. Northeast Shelf | $2,780,370 | 2025: 138,435 2026: 46,923 |
University of Massachusetts Dartmouth (SMAST) | 4-Year Drop Camera Survey of the Sea Scallop Resource Across Georges Bank | $8,751,624 | 2025: 262,635 2026: 114,576 2027: 116,057 2028: 144,753 |
SMAST | Optical and Biological Sampling of the Sea Scallop Resource in the Gulf of Maine | $5,976,772 | 2025: 174,202 2026: 74,596 2027: 88,189 2028: 61,517 |
SMAST | Assessing the Temperature Tolerance of Atlantic Sea Scallop Early Life Stages | $1,733,185 | 2025: 115,546 |
Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) | An Assessment of Sea Scallop Abundance and Distribution for the Mid-Atlantic Bight, Nantucket Lightship, Closed Area II, and Southern Flank | $9,880,784 | 2025: 155,249 2026: 157,737 2027: 176,633 2028: 169,099 |
Project Summaries
Institution: Commercial Fisheries Research Foundation (CFRF) - Refining Dredge Bag Modifications to Reduce Small Scallop and Sand Dollar Catch (1-year grant)
Principal Investigators: N. David Behoney, PhD; Jake Wiscott; and Christopher Roebuck
Project summary: The applicants propose to continue developing dredge bag modifications meant to reduce bycatch when fishing in areas with high densities of sand dollars and small scallops. The project will test the ability of 4.25 inch dredge bag rings to exclude unwanted bycatch while maintaining high catch rates of large scallops.
Institution: CFRF - Expanding the Research Fleet Approach in the Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery (2-year grant)
Principal Investigators: N. David Behoney, PhD; Melissa Sanderson; Mark Hager; and Anthony Lucia
Project summary: The applicants propose to expand vessel participation in their Scallop Research Fleet, which collects year-round data on scallop shell heights, meat volume, and reproductive status. Expansion of this program will allow additional data collection in high priority areas such as the Northern Gulf of Maine and further improvement of data used to produce scallop biomass estimates in stock assessments.
Institution: Coonamessett Farm Foundation (CFF) - Seasonal Survey on the Eastern Part of Georges Bank (1-year grant)
Principal Investigators: Luisa Garcia, Farrell Davis, Natalie Jennings, and Liese Siemann, PhD
Project summary: The applicants propose to conduct a dredge survey on the Eastern part of Georges Bank to evaluate seasonal and spatial changes in scallop biomass, distribution, spawning, and health status. The survey will also conduct biological sampling of lobster and yellowtail and windowpane flounder. Results will be used to evaluate longer-term trends in scallop production and to inform time-area closures to reduce bycatch.
Institution: CFF - Assessing the Recruitment Dynamics and Impacts of Offshore Wind Development on Larval Atlantic Sea Scallops with a Novel 47-Year Dataset along the U.S. Northeast Shelf (2-year grant)
Principal Investigators: Andrew D. Corso, PhD, Scott M. Gallager, PhD, Changshen Chen, PhD, Siqi Li
Project summary: The applicants propose to use existing archives of plankton samples to evaluate the effects of offshore wind development on sea scallop recruitment. In addition to utilizing existing samples, the applicants propose to develop improved sampling methods for opportunistically collecting larval scallops during research cruises and commercial fishing trips.
Institution: University of Massachusetts Dartmouth (SMAST) - 4-Year Drop Camera Survey of the Sea Scallop Resource Across Georges Bank (4-year grant)
Principal Investigators: Kevin D.E. Stokesbury, PhD, and Adam J. Delargy, PhD
Project summary: The applicants propose to conduct a drop camera survey across Georges Bank. Results will be used to evaluate the size distribution of scallops across space and time, produce scallop density and biomass estimates, and inform scallop harvest specifications.
Institution: SMAST - Optical and Biological Sampling of the Sea Scallop Resource in the Gulf of Maine (4-year grant)
Principal Investigators: Adam J. Delargy, PhD, and Kevin D.E. Stokesbury, PhD
Project summary: The applicants propose to conduct drop camera and dredge surveys in the Northern Gulf of Maine Management Area. Results will be used to produce estimates of scallop density, size, abundance, and biomass in support of scallop harvest specifications.
Institution: SMAST - Assessing the Temperature Tolerance of Atlantic Sea Scallop Early Life Stages (one-year grant)
Principal Investigators: Kevin D.E. Stokesbury, PhD, Brian Beal, PhD, Geoffrey Cowles, PhD
Project summary: The applicants propose a lab experiment to test the tolerance of sea scallop larvae to increased water temperatures. Scallop larvae will be collected from the wild and then exposed to a range of water temperatures corresponding to projected future temperatures across their latitudinal range. The results of this experiment will be used to evaluate the effects of warming ocean waters on scallop populations of the Mid-Atlantic Bight.
Institution: Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) - An Assessment of Sea Scallop Abundance and Distribution for the Mid-Atlantic Bight, Nantucket Lightship, Closed Area II, and Southern Flank (4-year grant)
Principal Investigator: David Rudders, PhD
Project summary: The applicant proposes to conduct a high resolution, stratified random dredge survey to sample the Mid-Atlantic Bight, Nantucket Lightship, Closed Area II, Southern Flank, and Extension SAMS Areas. Results will be used to produce scallop biomass estimates in support of scallop harvest specifications.