Shell growth of sea scallops (Placopecten magellanicus) in the southern and northern Great South Channel, USA

Abstract

Abstract Shell growth of sea scallops in two commercially productive regions of the Great South Channel (GSC) (41°4′N 69°16′W) was studied using tag–recapture experiments. Commercial fishers captured and returned 9.7% of the 11 704 sea scallops tagged in the southern GSC study area, and 7.9% of the 18 274 sea scallops tagged in the northern GSC study area. Scallop density and shell height distribution were sampled with underwater video in the two study areas. In the southern GSC tagged scallops grew faster, reached larger asymptotic size, and had higher growth performance (Φ′) than in the northern GSC study area. Mean sea scallop density in the southern GSC was 0.117 scallops m−2 (s.e. = 0.01), and 2.601 scallops m−2 (s.e. = 0.28) in the northern GSC. Environmental factors, fishing pressure, and sea scallop density all influence shell growth on a fine geographic scale (1–100 km2) and should be considered in area-specific management strategies, such as that currently used in the USA sea scallop fishery.