Fishery Council Votes 7-6 To Reopen Georges Bank Scallop Area

The New England Fishery Management Council has agreed to reopen a scallop area on the northern edge of Georges Bank, an area that's been closed to scallopers since 1994. The news was applauded by New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell.

"The northern edge is the mother-lode of scallops in the Atlantic, and if our scallopers can get at that we can expect for the next couple of years really, a real uptick in scallop landings," said Mitchell.

Mitchell says scallops are the life-blood of the Port of New Bedford, and opening up the Georges Bank area should mean more scallops coming into the port, and more people working in processing plants and other related industries.

The National Marine FIsheries Service must still approve the change.