PORTLAND, Maine — The sale of scallops will help pay for projects designed to study subjects such as the impact of fishing on sea turtles and how to make the New England shellfish fishery more efficient. The New England Fishery Management Council announced awards to 15 such projects on Wednesday. The projects are funded via a program that uses sale of scallops to pay for science. The projects are awarded pounds of scallops that have been set aside from the rest of the fishing quota, and applicants partner with fishermen to harvest the shellfish and generate money. Groups receiving the awards include Coonamessett Farm Foundation of East Falmouth, Massachusetts, which was awarded more than 72,000 pounds of scallops to study the impact of the Atlantic sea scallop fishery on loggerhead sea turtles. Follow the Bangor Daily News on Facebook for the latest Maine news.