the amount of scallops landed overall, leaving more as brood stockGear restrictions help even out the playing field between different fishing stylesThis style of management is usually supported by the industry (more so than others)Can help to reduce gear conflict issuesEasy to enforce/ administerIs another way to prevent total fishing effort other than limited entryCan help to shift population size towards the point of maximum economic yieldHelps to reduce fishing mortality (less scallops caught overall because they are larger)Enforcement: would be fairly easy to enforce the outward appearances, more difficult to make sure that the system is working the way it is supposed to (example- preventing fishermen from allowing the rings to plug with seaweed). This could be prevented by mandating that gear has to be cleaned (obstructions removed) after each pass with a dredge.Administration: would be a similar process to the present oneFines for breaking restrictions?Who gets to decide what the restrictions should be?Sustainability: Gear restrictions are unable to maintain sustainability on their own. 5. Size Limits: helps to achieve and maintain an organism size that is both ecologically and economically beneficial.A.Minimum size limits: currently, minimum size is 3”Problems: oSome individuals may attempt to pass undersized meats off as legal by swelling them with chemicals or fresh wateroDifficult to enforce- prevention of undersized shuckingoUndersized organisms may die if caught and thrown back (survival rate?)oDamage to undersized scallops caught in dredge Benefits:oAllows scallops to survive to maturityoHelps to ensure that optimum size/effort is achieved oMaximum economic yield from each scallopoLarger scallops sell for more money (3 - 6 inches)Enforcement: Very difficult enforce meat size, because there are so many ways to get around the size limit- for example: mixing undersized meats with larger ones, soaking small meats in...
