The Anna Maria Island Sun Newspaper

Vol. 15 No. 24 - April 8, 2015

reel time

Scallop count could herald good news

Reel time

Captain Harrison ford | submitted

Don Proctor, of Erie, Pa., caught this large redfish in Sarasota Bay while
fishing with Captain Harrison Ford. Populations of scallops and other
shellfish clean the water column making it a healthier place for all finfish.
Proctor mentioned that casting lessons he obtained through Anna Maria
Island Outfitters helped him make the catch. 

 

Since Sarasota Bay Watch (SBW) started releasing scallops into Sarasota Bay the organization has introduced 55 million larvae and more than 100,000 juveniles to grass beds from Manatee County to Sarasota. SBW has been assisted in those efforts by Mote Marine, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Sarasota Bay Estuary Program, and Sarasota County. The scallops were raised by Curt Hemmel of Bay Shellfish Company in Terra Ceia. In addition to the efforts of science and environmental groups, local businesses and, importantly, many volunteer citizen scientists also assisted in the efforts.

Everyone involved was pleased to hear recently that Mote Marine Laboratory scientists and a Japanese colleague found a record number of immature scallops at a Mote restoration site in Sarasota Bay. Since the program of scallop releases began, there has been no clear evidence that the releases were impacting depleted populations of scallops in the bay. While the recent development is a very good sign,  scientists were cautious that this may not be a significant indication of a rebound.

Sarasota Bay’s scallop populations fell dramatically in the 1960s and while the reasons are not fully understood, they are thought to include the destruction of seagrass habitat as well as sewage and dredging, which decreased water quality. Other potential factors include red tide events and overharvesting.

On Wednesday, March 25, Mote senior scientist Jim Culter, accompanied Mote intern Devon Witczak and Japanese guest Professor Tetsu Sato in their visit to a scallop restoration site of the Mote Community Partnership off Ken Thompson Park.

In November 2014, Mote deployed cages full of young-adult bay scallops (Argopecten irradians) at that site to see if they’d do what nature intended – make more scallops.

“We’ve been raising scallops to a larger size before putting them into the Bay, which our research suggests will make them less vulnerable to predators and give them a better chance to survive, spawn and have larvae settle in the area,” said Jim Culter, manager of the Benthic Ecology Program at Mote.

“We think it might be working,” he said.

Culter and his interns monitored for new babies by deploying scallop collectors made from mesh produce bags by local high-school volunteers. The collectors give juvenile scallops a convenient place to settle after a short time as drifting larvae.

On Wednesday, Culter pulled up a mesh collector that was brown and slimy after eight weeks accumulating algae and invertebrate animals. Witzcak and Sato began searching it for mini scallops. They found 114, most smaller than a fingernail.

“An amazing amount,” Sato said. “Is it common?”

“No,” Culter said. “This is great.”

The number far surpassed Mote’s previous high count which were found on six collectors at six different sites. As an added bonus the new crop of scallops came in many colors.

“Oh cool, look. There’s a skunk-orange,” said Witczak, referring to a rust-colored scallop with a pale stripe. “I’ve never seen that before.”

The Scallop Restoration Initiative is being studied by the Japanese Research Institute for Humanity and Nature (RIHN), and is part of a global research initiative to study how communities and scientists work together on environmental problems.

“There is no way to tell for sure if these juveniles came from the caged adults,” said Culter, “but that last year’s generation had an elevated number of unusual color morphs, a possible sign the scallops are the young of the seed scallops.”

Finding the juveniles near the caged adults is a hopeful sign. 

“The juveniles may not travel too far from the parents,” Culter said. “The larvae that hatch from the eggs will drift in the water for less than two weeks before they settle.”

Culter, Sato and Witzcak returned the juvenile scallops to Mote’s scallop nursery, where they can grow to a size that makes them less vulnerable in the wild. Mote recently opened a scallop nursery, which it stocked with scallops hatched by Bay Shellfish Co. of Terra Ceia Island. Bay Shellfish has provided scallops from its hatchery from the beginning of Sarasota Bay Watch and Mote’s programs. Mote’s nursery space was prepared with help from local high school students, Sarasota Bay Watch volunteers and college interns.

The 2014/2015 restoration season has resulted in a low number and quality of brood stock, which has led to small spawns this year.  So far Sarasota Bay Watch has released between one and two million larval and approximately 10,0000 juvenile scallops. Although brood stock has been poor, Culter’s discovery of large numbers of scallops on monitoring bags (39 and 114 compared to 0 to 3 in the past) is encouraging.

In addition, Hemmel, of Bay Shellfish Co., has found juvenile scallops in a location where he has never seen scallops before, and fishermen report seeing scallops in north Sarasota Bay fishing spots that have been devoid of scallops for the last 30 years. There is also news that local eco-tour boats are reporting scallop around Bird Key, Island Park, Long Bar and the Sister Keys.

SBW has submitted another grant application to the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund as follow-on funding to last year’s $25,000.00 grant. Recently Hemmel observed some spring spawning, which happens from time to time, so SBW is funding an additional adult scallop collection trip in the near future to upgrade brood stock.      

“This project involves the local community,” said Sato.  “The scallop is a very important icon (and a reason) for everyone to work together. This is an opportunity for many different stakeholders in this community to work together with Mote Marine Laboratory to improve the Bay environment.” 

Sato and other scientists from Japan have documented how scientists and residents collaborate in Mote research, in volunteer monitoring efforts like the annual Scallop Search led by Sarasota Bay Watch, and more. Sarasota Bay is one of multiple case study sites around the world where RIHN’s ILEK Project is documenting how scientists and local residents work together to benefit the environment.

While there is no assurance that this find heralds the beginning of a rebound of scallop populations in Sarasota Bay, it does point to the possibilities when local volunteers and organizations collaboration for the good of the environment. To learn more about Sarasota Bay Watch visit their Website at www.sarasotabaywatch.com.  Visit Mote and learn about their many innovative programs at www.mote.org.  


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