Print

Email story

Comment

Email editor

Outdoors

Scalloping the shallows

Diving for scallops is an enjoyable endeavor that can lead to a tasty dinner

By ED WALKER
Published July 16, 2005

The gulf was mirror smooth, and there were few clouds as we departed from the mouth of the Homosassa River.

Perfect conditions for an easy day of scallop hunting for our five-member team.

After running a short distance, we spotted a large group of boats to our north. From the looks of it, they had found an area with a good concentration of the tasty mollusks we were after.

We slowed to an idle in the gin-clear water and discussed joining the fleet or seeking out on our own spot. Before a decision was made, we noticed something moving in the water next to the boat.

Sure enough, a scallop was "hopping" along the grassy bottom 3 feet below. Then there was another, and another. A closer look revealed scallops all over. We had barely left the river and already found a great location.

The air temperature was in the 90s, and the crew was anxious to get in the water. After raising the dive flag and donning basic snorkeling gear, our team was soon spread out around the boat picking up scallops like an estuarine Easter egg hunt.

Each snorkeler carried a mesh bag to hold the catch as they worked back and forth over the lush grass beds. Most of the time, there were numerous scallops visible from the surface and it often was possible to grab six or more on a single breath - unless you happened upon one that darts away.

These wily scallops attempt to flee by contracting the sides of their shells and forcing water out to propel them backward. It is not a terribly effective escape maneuver since they make it only a few feet, but it does make catching them a tad more challenging.

Scattered about in the same area were a variety of other interesting creatures such as starfish, stone crabs, pipefish and sea horses. The diving itself is a enjoyable endeavor, and securing enough scallops for dinner is an added bonus. The clear shallow water and minimal currents make it a great family outing.

Over the years, bay scallops have ridden a bumpy road. At one time, they were abundant in bays and estuaries from Palm Beach to the Panhandle. As recently as 1991, however, that range had been greatly reduced.

According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Committee, "scallops are now rare or non-existent in southeast Florida and in areas west of St. Joseph Bay in the Panhandle."

Areas such as Pine Island Sound, Sarasota Bay, Tampa Bay and Pensacola, which once harbored dense scallop populations, now support few, if any, individuals, the conservation committee said.

This decline has been linked primarily to degradation of water quality, prompting a ban on harvest in all Florida counties except those proven to support renewable populations.

Bay scallops may be harvested July 1-Sept. 10 from the Pasco-Hernando County line (near Aripeka) to the west bank of the Mexico Beach Canal in Bay County.

The life cycle of a bay scallop is short by any standard. Most live a year and, as a result, grow quite rapidly. Harvesters often find them to be considerably larger in September toward the end of the 70-day season than when it opens in July.

Spawning takes place primarily in the fall when the water begins to cool. Since each scallop is male and female, they alternate releasing eggs and sperm into the water at intervals to prevent self fertilization.

The young undeveloped scallops drift in the water column up to 14 days before settling into areas where they fasten themselves to blades of grass. Eventually, the scallops end up on the top of the grass then drop off as they reach a mature size.

Catching the tasty bivalves is the easy part. The real work comes back at the dock or house when it is time to clean them.

Placing the scallops on ice after they are caught will cause them to open slightly. A spoon with a sharpened edge or an oyster shucking tool then is inserted to cut the muscle away from one side of the shell.

Next, the shell is opened and the entrails are removed and discarded. The remaining scallop is scraped off the shell and placed in a bucket or bowl.

The Homosassa and Crystal River area has become one of the best destinations in the state, according to abundance and density studies conducted prior to the opening of the season each year by the Florida Marine Research Institute.

On the weekends, the popular spots often have large numbers of boats and snorkelers. Proceeding through these areas at idle speed while watching for people in the water helps keep things safe for everyone.

The daily bag limit is 2 gallons of whole bay scallops in the shell or 1 pint of bay scallop meat per day during the open season.

In addition, recreational hunters may possess no more than 10 gallons of whole bay scallops in the shell or half a gallon of bay scallop meat aboard any vessel at any time even if there are more than five people on board.

[Last modified July 16, 2005, 00:24:14]