Cutting out live well on 89 20sf

[highstrung]

Started a winter project on my 89'
20 that was supposed to consist of just sanding off all my old paint and re non skidding my deck and awl gripping my topside and console. Ended up taking my console off only to find a soft spot around the cut out where my rigging wires and cables are fed through the deck under my console. Have a guy that is re coring my deck for me with foam by cutting off top skin and removing all old balsa then Placing the foam in and re attaching the top skin back. I am interested in completely cutting out my live well so I have that entire hatch to access my bilge. My question is this. If I cut out the live well do I have to close up my scupper holes (drain) eliminating my self bailing deck? Is there anything else that I have to do when cutting out live well and using that hatch as a bilge access? If I plan on having adequate bilge pumps also. I would want to just re route the water intake so I can still pump water into my removable bait well. Thank you in advance for the help.