Scallop Buffer Zone (SFA 21)
Location: Estuary and Gulf of St. Lawrence Bioregion
Approximate Area: 727,420 hectares
Date of Designation: 2017
Conservation Objectives
To protect the habitat of American lobsters, as well as other species such as skates and crabs.
Prohibitions
Scallop dragging is prohibited in the area.
Why (environmental context for protection)
The area encompasses habitat that American lobsters use to nurse their young. By protecting nursery grounds from bottom-contact fishing methods like scallop dragging, lobster numbers in the area should increase. The area also offers protection to other important species. The closure contains the last remaining area in which the winter skate (an endangered species) is found during the summer. The closure is also home to lady crabs and rock crabs.