Why Trump Reopening Georges Bank Is a Game-Changer for New Bedford Scallops

President Donald Trump's declaration of July 2 as National Scallops Day is a pretty big deal for New Bedford and its legendary fishing industry.

Reopening the Northern Edge After a 30-Year Ban

The declaration was accompanied by an announcement that Trump plans to reopen the Northern Edge of Georges Bank to scallop fishing, an area that has been off limits since 1994.

Addressing the Decline in New Bedford Scallop Landings

New Bedford lands anywhere between 20 and 50 million pounds of scallops annually. However, Senator Mark Montigny told New Bedford Light, "Total scallop landings in 2024 were only a third of the scallops harvested in 2019."

Montigny and New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell have long advocated for reopening the Northern Edge. Mitchell told the Light he "strongly" supports the decision, saying it is "encouraging to see the federal government prioritize this effort as well."

Trump Gives A Shout Out To New Bedford On National Scallops Day

The Oval Office Meeting Behind the Decision

The Boston Herald's Tim Dunn reported that Trump's decision followed a visit to the Oval Office by New Bedford scallop industry representative John Lees, who advocated for the reopening of the Northern Edge.

Trump said that reopening the area would mean "millions more pounds of beautiful Wild Scallops a year on the kitchen table of Americans, and more jobs in Norfolk, Virginia, Cape May, New Jersey, New Bedford, Massachusetts, and essentially all parts of the East Coast."

"The Port of New Bedford has been America's Most Valuable Fishing Port for 20 consecutive years," according to New Bedford Seafood. "Each year, commercial fishing harvests, offloads, processes, and distributes hundreds of millions of pounds of catch, and the Port of New Bedford is a global seafood hub."

The reopening of the Northern Edge of Georges Bank could significantly affect the local fishing industry.