What You’ll Learn1. Useful information on scalloping regulations, safety, and

handling practices2. Basic biology and life history of the bay scallop3. How bay scallop populations are monitored in Florida to

ensure their long-term sustainability

Image credit, Bryan Fluech

A Florida Tradition

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Bay Scallop Basics•Bivalve mollusk

•Historically throughout Florida's west coast to West Palm Beach on east coast

•Short-lived: 12-18 months

•Inhabits shallow bays and estuaries•seagrass dependent

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2011 Bay Scallop Season

• Jun 25 –Sep 25, 2011*• Pasco/Hernando line northwest to west bank of Mexico

Beach canal (Bay County)

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What is the legal bag limit of whole scallops an individual is allowed to harvest in a single day?

A. 1 gallonB. 2 gallonsC. 3 gallonsD. 4 gallons

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Scallop Regulations• Commercial harvest prohibited• Fishing license required

– www.myfwc.com

• Bag limits:– 2 gallons per person whole or 1 pint of meat per person per day

– 10 gallon whole or 1/2 gallon shucked meats limit per vessel per day

• Harvest methods:– By hand– Landing or dip net

• Must remain in authorized areas while in while in possession on the water

FWC Wildlife Alert Hotline:1-888-404-3922

Image credit, Chuck Adams

Equipment• Swim mask • Snorkel

– Snorkel vest

• Fins/ water shoes• Small mesh bag • Divers-down flag

(required by law)

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Sunscreen/ t-shirt for sunburn; cooler,

water, food, polarized sunglasses

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Getting There• Contact visitor & convention bureaus

– Licensed fishing guides– Boat rentals

• Refer to boating and angler guides– Access points/ navigable waters

• Look for other boats

Responsible Boating• Be mindful of other boaters;

boating regulations• Protect seagrasses! watch your

depth, anchoring

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Image credit: http://www.seagrasswatch.org/archives_09.html

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Collecting Scallops

• Often on/near bottom

• Try to find margins of seagrass – easier to find

• Scallops can be patchy• Vary your depth

– 2-10 feet

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Image credit: Florida Sea Grant

Once you return to the boat you should immediately…

A. Boil your scallops to eliminate harmful bacteriaB. Lay out your scallops to dry in the sunC. Store your scallops on iceD. Submerge your scallops in fresh water

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Storing ScallopsWhen brought to the boat, scallops should be

immediately placed on ice in a cooler.

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Cleaning Scallops• Insert a knife blade or sharpened spoon between shells and cut away

the muscle at its attachment to the top shell.

• Remove the dark innards by gently scraping from hinge to front with knife or spoon.

• Scrape away the scallop muscle from bottom shell*

Images from: http://www.afn.org/~gofc/Cleaning.html

Good to Eat and Good for You• Firm texture/ distinctly sweet flavor• Creamy white to light tan/ pink coloration• High quality protein; low saturated fat/ calories

Based on 4 oz of raw edible portions:

Source FDACS

Storing/Cooking Tips• Avoid Eating Whole Scallops Raw

• Fresh:– Eat within 24-48 hours – Do NOT store in water

• Frozen:– Store up to 4 months– Place in air-tight container

• Cook Thoroughly– Center is opaque and white– Avoid overcooking

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Keep it Cold, Keep it Clean, Keep it Moving!!!!

An Estuary Barometer• Efficient filter feeders• Highly sensitive to changes in water quality

– Prefers higher salinities (>20 ppt)

Vision and Movement

• Dozens of eyes to detect motion, light and dark– Helps to detect predators

• Force water from valves to swim short distances– Helps to avoid predators

http://davidmoynahan.blogspot.com/2010/07/scallops.html

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True or False?

Bay scallops are extremely vulnerable to cold weather events.

A. TrueB. False

Image credit: FWC

Reproduction, Dispersal & Settlement

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• Spat recruits grow a few millimeters in a few weeks

• Some up to quarter size

• Scallops to the left represent 2-6 weeks post-settlement sizes

Monitoring Efforts•FWC monitors bay scallop populations to maintain a healthy breeding population

– Deploy sets of citrus bags to mimic seagrass – Visual monitoring of spat settlement

Image credits: FWC

Florida’s Historic Scallop Landings

Florida Stocks

• Current population is a remnant of past numbers

• Core population centered around Big Bend region

• 2 subspecies• A. irradians amplicostatus

• A. irradians concentricus Image credit: FWC

FWC/FWRI Conducts Annual Adult Surveys

Image credit: FWC

Scallop Harvest Criteria

• Density: > 25 scallops per 600 sq m = healthy population level

• Distribution: scallops evenly distributed in harvest area

• Resiliency: Population of adults recover after poor years

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SW Florida Restoration Methods• Anchored cages• Booms• Free releases• Hanging cages

Get in on the Action!

• Sarasota Bay Watch Scallop Search: Aug 13th

• Pine Island Scallop Search: Aug 13th

• Charlotte Harbor Scallop Search: Aug 27th

• Tampa Bay Watch Great Scallop Search: Aug 27th

Image credit: Tampa Bay Watch

Bay Scallop ResourcesFlorida Sea Grant: www.flseagrant.org

Don’t forget to complete the online evaluation that will be emailed to you!