Final Report An Assessment of Sea Scallop Abundance and Distribution in the Georges Bank Access Areas and Surrounds

For the sea scallop, Placopecten magellanicus, the concepts of space and time have emerged as the basis of an effective management tool. The strategy of rotational area management has aided in the sustainability of the resource. Since 2003 with the adoption of Amendment 10 to the Fishery Management Plan (FMP), rotational area management has provided a mechanism to protect juvenile scallops from fishing mortality by closing areas based on scallop abundance and observed length distributions. Approximately half of the sea scallop industry’s current annual landings are attributed to areas under this rotational harvest strategy. While this represents a management success, it also highlights the extent to which landings and management are dependent on the effective implementation of this strategy. The continued prosperity of scallop spatial management is dependent on both periodic and large incoming year classes, as well as a mechanism to delineate the scale of a recruitment event and subsequently monitor the growth and abundance of these scallops over time. Current and accurate information related to the abundance and distribution of adult and juvenile scallops is essential for managers to respond to changes in resource subunits, especially as the resource is being managed at finer-spatial scales. Acknowledging the importance of accurate, timely, and meaningful information necessary to meet the management challenges, the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) conducted a stratified random survey of the Georges Bank (GB) Closed Area I (CAI) and Closed Area II (CAII), as well as the southern flank south of CAII in the summer of 2020 and 2021. The primary objective of these surveys was to assess the abundance and distribution of sea scallops in this area, culminating with spatially explicit annual estimates of total and exploitable biomass by Scallop Area Management Simulator (SAMS) Area. Secondary project objectives for each survey year included: 1. Finfish bycatch species composition and catch rates, 2. Scallop biological sampling (length:weight relationship, disease, product quality, and shell samples for ageing) and 3.Sea scallop dredge performance (commercial and survey dredges)

A Cooperative High Precision Dredge Survey to Assess the Mid-Atlantic Sea Scallop Resource Area in 2019 and 2020: Final Report

For the sea scallop, Placopecten magellanicus, current and accurate information related to the abundance and distribution of adult and juvenile scallops is essential for effective management of the resource. Scallop management is a combination of input and output controls, with a focus on spatial area management. The continued prosperity of the scallop resource and fishery is dependent on both periodic and large incoming year classes, as well as a mechanism to delineate the scale of a recruitment event and subsequently monitor the growth and abundance of these scallops over time. Acknowledging the importance of accurate, timely, and meaningful information necessary to meet the management objectives and support the fishery, the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) conducted a synoptic high resolution stratified random survey of the Mid-Atlantic Bight (MAB) scallop resource from the VA/NC border to Block Island, RI encompassing the Mid-Atlantic Access Area (MAAA), as well as the open areas of the MAB resource area during the spring/summer of 2019 and 2020. The primary objective of these surveys was to assess the abundance and distribution of sea scallops in this area, culminating with spatially explicit annual estimates of total and exploitable biomass by Scallop Area Management Simulator (SAMS) Area. Secondary project objectives for each survey year included: 1. Finfish bycatch species composition and catch rates, 2. Scallop biological sampling (length:weight relationship, disease, product quality parameters, and shell samples for ageing), and 3. Sea scallop dredge performance (commercial and survey dredges)

Development and implementation of a high precision resource wide dredge survey of the Mid-Atlantic scallop resource are: Final Report

The sea scallop fishery is currently the most valuable single species fishery in the United States. Part of this success stems from a hybrid management strategy that incorporates a spatial component (rotational closed areas) with traditional fishery management approaches. While much recent attention has focused on the success of closed areas (e.g. Elephant Trunk Closed Area), production from open areas had enabled scallop landings to remain high and relatively stable over the past few years. Regardless of the management approach, timely and accurate information related to scallop distribution and biomass is critical for the effective management of the resource. This data need is essential for both the rotational access areas and the areas open to general fishing under day-at-sea (DAS) control

Final Report An Assessment of Sea Scallop Abundance and Distribution in the Nantucket Lightship Closed Area

For the sea scallop, Placopecten magellanicus, the concepts of space and time have emerged as the basis of an effective management tool. The strategy of rotational area management has aided in the sustainability of the resource. Since 2003 with the adoption of Amendment 10 to the Fishery Management Plan (FMP), rotational area management has provided a mechanism to protect juvenile scallops from fishing mortality by closing areas based on scallop abundance and observed length distributions. Approximately half of the sea scallop industry’s current annual landings are attributed to areas under this rotational harvest strategy. While this represents a management success, it also highlights the extent to which landings and management are dependent on the effective implementation of this strategy. The continued prosperity of scallop spatial management is dependent on both periodic and large incoming year classes, as well as a mechanism to delineate the scale of a recruitment event and subsequently monitor the growth and abundance of these scallops over time. Current and accurate information related to the abundance and distribution of adult and juvenile scallops is essential for managers to respond to changes in resource subunits, especially as the resource is being managed at finer-spatial scales. Acknowledging the importance of accurate, timely, and meaningful information necessary to meet the management needs, the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) conducted a stratified random survey of the Nantucket Lightship (NL) and the South Channel (SC) in the summer of 2020 and the NL in 2021. The primary objective of these surveys was to assess the abundance and distribution of sea scallops in these areas, culminating with spatially explicit annual estimates of total and exploitable biomass by Scallop Area Management Simulator (SAMS) Area. Secondary project objectives for each year included: 1. Finfish bycatch species composition and catch rates, 2. Scallop biological sampling (length:weight relationship, disease, product quality, and shell samples for ageing), and 3. Sea scallop dredge performance (commercial and survey dredges)

Age structure and growth rate in the sea scallop Placopecten magellanicus

The overall project objective is to describe age structure and growth of scallops from the Georges Bank and Mid-Atlantic regions. There are three component objectives; (1) age structure and growth during the 1977- 1999 period using archived material stored at NEFSC Woods Hole; (2) age structure and growth of scallops collected over the latitudinal and bathymetric range of the US commercial fishery in 2012 and 2013 (material archived at VIMS from RSA studies); and (3) age structure and growth of scallops collected in 2017 assessment surveys by co-PI Rudders

An Assessment of Sea Scallop Abundance and Distribution in the Nantucket Lightship Closed Area and Surrounds: Final Report

For the sea scallop, Placopecten magellanicus, the concepts of space and time have emerged as the basis of an effective management tool. The strategy of closing or limiting activities in certain areas for specific lengths of time has gained support as a method to conserve and enhance the scallop resource. In the last decade, rotational area management has provided a mechanism to protect juvenile scallops from fishing mortality by closing areas based upon scallop abundance and age distribution. Approximately half of the sea scallop industry’s current annual landings come from areas under this rotational harvest strategy. While this represents a management success, it also highlights the extent to which landings are dependent on the success of this strategy. The continued prosperity of scallop spatial management is dependent on both periodic and large incoming year classes, as well as a mechanism to delineate the scale of a recruitment event and subsequently monitor the growth and abundance of these scallops over time. Current and accurate information related to the abundance and distribution of adult and juvenile scallops is essential for managers to respond to changes in resource subunits. Acknowledging the importance of accurate, timely and meaningful information necessary to meet the management challenges presented by this situation, the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) conducted a stratified random survey of the Nantucket Lightship Access Area (NLCA), the Extension Closure (EC) to the east and Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) area to the west in the summer of 2016 and 2017. The primary objective of these surveys was to assess the abundance and distribution of sea scallops in this area, culminating with spatially explicit annual estimates of total and exploitable biomass. Secondary project objectives for each survey year included: 1. Finfish bycatch species composition and catch rates, 2. Scallop biological sampling (length:weight relationship, disease, product quality parameters and shell samples for ageing) and 3. Selectivity and relative efficiency analysis of the New Bedford Style Dredge (NBD). As an additional objective, we also conducted a tow duration experiment after the conclusion of each survey to assess the impact of a shorten tow duration on scallop catch

A Cooperative High Precision Dredge Survey to Assess the mid-Atlantic Sea Scallop Resource in 2018: Final Report

For the sea scallop, Placopecten magellanicus, the concepts of space and time have emerged as the basis of an effective management tool. The strategy of closing or limiting activities in certain areas for specific lengths of time has gained support as a method to conserve and enhance the scallop resource. In the last decade, rotational area management has provided a mechanism to protect juvenile scallops from fishing mortality by closing areas based upon scallop abundance and observed age distribution. Approximately half of the sea scallop industry’s current annual landings are attributed to areas under this rotational harvest strategy. While this represents a management success, it also highlights the extent to which landings are dependent on the effective implementation of this strategy. The continued prosperity of scallop spatial management is dependent on both periodic and large incoming year classes, as well as a mechanism to delineate the scale of a recruitment event and subsequently monitor the growth and abundance of these scallops over time. Current and accurate information related to the abundance and distribution of adult and juvenile scallops is essential for managers to respond to changes in resource subunits

Examination into a Vessel Effect for a Multi-Vessel Industry-Based Sea Scallop Dredge Survey

Generalized linear models (GLM) and generalized additive mixed models (GAMM) were developed to examine for differences in fishing power, also referred to as a vessel effect, for three commercial fishing vessels chartered by the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS). The vessels conducted a fishery-independent sea scallop dredge survey of the MidAtlantic sea scallop resource in 2015. Surveys have continued since 2015 using a multivessel approach, and understanding the implications of a potential vessel effect on scallop catch is important for management and assessment of the resource. Surveys are conducted yearly to support annual fishery specifications and contribute biological and catch data for stock assessments. Generalized linear models tested for an effect of vessel on the total number of scallops captured and indicated survey strata and rotational area were significant predictors. Generalized additive mixed models tested for a vessel effect on scallop catch-at-length with length, vessel, strata, rotational area, and an interaction of vessel and length as fixed effects and survey station as a random effect. Two preferred GAMM were identified for the catch-at-length analysis. One model indicated that strata and rotational area had significant effects on scallop catch-at-length, whereas the interaction term was not significant. The second model did not include the interaction term or vessel as a predictor. Results presented here are consistent with previous calibration studies conducted for scallop dredge surveys suggesting that scallop catch is robust to the effect of vessel and support the use of a suite of industry vessels in the VIMS sea scallop surveys