BigBendFishing.Net

To and From FWC:

FWC, when is the annual scallop abundance survey data going to be released? The website indicates mid-June and the month is nearly over.

Hi Ken: We're hoping to have the survey data released within the next week or two. We apologize for the wait. Researchers are wrapping up the surveys and we'll be posting the updated information on our social media pages when it becomes available on our website.

I asked last week and got the same answer. If they still don't have the numbers I wonder if they were counting in areas that had opened already?

My main concern is that the per scallop count on a gallon of small scallops vs the count of a gallon of the normal sized ones during a normal year. Has anyone thought about that fact that more scallops are being harvested because more small ones fit in a gallon? I am not sure how many more, maybe 15% x all the 100's of scallopers. The floatilla was pretty big last Sat.

http://myfwc.com/research/saltwater/mol ... ps/season/



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Bailey wrote:http://myfwc.com/research/saltwater/mol ... ps/season/

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Thanks, Bailey. Let's hope we aren't entering a long-term decline as the past few years suggest. On a positive note, it looks like the scallops are more spread out. Scallopers may have a harder time finding enough to hit their limit. Having them more spread out might increase the overall abundance in the future.

I had been checking that link daily and they finally posted it Friday, but the woods n water has it in print, so why the delay? Doesn't look good, I would guess we are going to be in trouble next few years.
These numbers and the fact they are sparse and spread out will really decrease the reproduction when it happens. I can only hope the sparse picking discourage people. I have not seen any with developed gonads yet. But I am not a biologist, I guess they have it under control.