Bay Scallops

[drunkendiver]

Did a whopping 12' dive over the weekend chasing bay scallops. The water is still warm (55 deg. F) according to my fishfinder. Only got 1/2 bag and saw no eel grass. I think the bay scallops are slowly becoming extinct in this area. Also found more pea crabs in the scallops than usual.

 

[Mr.X]

Very interesting. On a gastronomic note I would imagine a pea crab wouldn't be too bad tasting given it's something of a scallop-eating parasite? I have seen small pea-sized crabs in Japanese rice cracker snacks. They taste pretty good.

I haven't kept up on Bay Scallop populations - but I do know they used to have a husbandry center on Nantucket some odd ten years ago? And Taylor Seafoods grows them. I think # of Bay scallops have been affected by weather. I am hoping that Native Shrimp are available come 2016. Love em', but could only get them at Ikea last year.

 

[drunkendiver]

I think in 2012 2013 Taylor was planning on expanding a scallop farm off West Island. I tried looking up their website but the link was no good. It would be cool if they had an entrance fee to pick up a bag off there lines, kind of like underwater apple picking. No thanks on the pea crabs, alien looking buggers. Gulf of Maine cod recreation was shut down so didn't get a chance to see if the native shrimp were being gobbled up. Not sure what the pea crabs are eating inside the scallops. I know they are parasitic but there were some pretty big size crabs inside of the larger scallops that otherwise seemed healthy. Not sure how much damage they do. Between the nonexistent eel grass and weather I think the bay scallop will continue to decline.

 

[Mr.X]

I think in 2012 2013 Taylor was planning on expanding a scallop farm off West Island. I tried looking up their website but the link was no good. It would be cool if they had an entrance fee to pick up a bag off there lines, kind of like underwater apple picking. No thanks on the pea crabs, alien looking buggers. Gulf of Maine cod recreation was shut down so didn't get a chance to see if the native shrimp were being gobbled up. Not sure what the pea crabs are eating inside the scallops. I know they are parasitic but there were some pretty big size crabs inside of the larger scallops that otherwise seemed healthy. Not sure how much damage they do. Between the nonexistent eel grass and weather I think the bay scallop will continue to decline.

Cheers Drunken...I only hope the eel grass doesn't decline further. :depressed: Bay Scallops are such lovely little mollusks and a true Ma critter. Not to mention tasty. On a goofy note I used to have a commensal crab as a quasi-pet (Opisthopus transversus). It lived inside a large gumboot chiton. It didn't too well outside of the commensal animal and no matter how much I tried to feed and simulate "like" conditions it died. I really don't know what the relationship of the pea crab is to the scallop - but find it very interesting.