Experimental examination of movement of the giant scallop, Placopecten magellanicus

Abstract

We quantified movements of tagged giant scallops, Placopecten magellanicus (Gmelin, 1791), (40 to 115 mm in shell height) released in 1991 and 1992 at nine stations in Port Daniel Bay, Baie des Chaleurs, Gulf of St. Lawrence, Canada, for periods of 10 to 52 d. Both the mean distances moved per day and dispersion distances from release points were usually greater at the two stations with sand substratum, low scallop densities and high rock crab, Cancer irroratus, densities. Movement rate and dispersion of scallops from the release points at the other seven stations were similar, even though there were marked differences in substratum type (gravel, cobble or bedrock), predator density, and scallop density. Most mean dispersal directions were random, and scallops did not appear to migrate from unsuitable to suitable habitats. Although movement did reduce predation rate, scallop movement was weakly correlated with the abundance of only one predator, C. irroratus.