Title: Bay Scallops in the mid Atlantic: fishery loss, restoration prospects, and aquaculture potential
Speaker: Dr. Richard A. Snyder (Professor and Director, Eastern Shore Laboratory, Virginia Institute of Marine Science, College of William & Mary)
Abstract: The bay scallop, Argopecten irradians, ranges from New England to Florida, in high salinity coastal bays holding seagrasses as critical habitat. Two sub species are recognized: A. irradians irradians north of the mid Atlantic, and A. irradians concentricus south of the mid Atlantic, with a suspected hybrid zone along the MD and VA coastline. The last commercial harvest of bay scallops in Virginia was 1932, and the species has been missing for ~80 years. VIMS ESL has been engaged in restoration of the bay scallop population since 2009, and has been working on aquaculture of bay scallops since the 1960s. This presentation will discuss the past, present and future of bay scallop work at VIMS ESL, and highlight gaps in our understanding of the biology of these creatures.
Host: Dr.Sook Chung
