Catalyzing the Restoration and Conservation of the Bay Scallop

general description:

The Commercial Fisheries Research Foundation, in collaboration with the Rhode Island Chapter of The Nature Conservancy and the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, is conducting a study to catalyze the creation of a bay scallop (Argopectens irradians) restoration plan for Rhode Island. The bay scallop supported robust fisheries in New England throughout much of the 1900s, however bay scallop populations drastically declined in the 1980s as a result of widespread brown tide algal blooms. This crash led to an effective collapse of the fishery in Rhode Island, and population levels have not significantly recovered since. There is a lack of scientific data on the mechanisms preventing recovery of the species in Rhode Island, and factors are likely site-specific. However, it is suspected the main limiting factor of population recovery is the high mortality of larval bay scallop before maturation, as bay scallop larvae are particularly vulnerable and fragile compared to other local bivalve species. This project aimed to synthesize relevant data on bay scallop ecology and past restoration efforts to develop site-specific restoration strategies for the species in Point Judith Pond, Rhode Island. This restoration plan is intended to support statewide efforts to conserve coastal shellfish populations and will combine both biological and sociological information for informing future siting of shellfish restoration efforts to maximize restoration success.

Project Goals:

• Synthesize knowledge related to bay scallop ecology and past restoration efforts in Rhode Island as well as the greater Tri-State and New England region.

• Compare historical and current bay scallop distribution and abundance data in Point Judith Pond, Rhode Island to determine how populations have changed spatially over time and provide guidance on which areas may or may not be suitable for successful restoration efforts.

• Evaluate key sources of stress to bay scallop populations and identify site-specific restoration strategies to offset or mitigate these stressors and increase abundance. 

• Communicate project results to fishing and management communities and help facilitate the implementation of recommendations into the state’s shellfish restoration plan.

project team:

• Commercial Fisheries Research Foundation (CFRF)

  • N. David Bethoney

  • Hannah Verkamp

  • Joshua Nooij, Student Intern

• Rhode Island Chapter of The Nature Conservancy (TNC)

  • Will Helt

  • Kevin Ruddock

  • John O’Brien

• Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (RIDEM)

  • Connor McManus

  • Anna Gerber Williams

Results

• Read the Final Report here.

• Results from this project were published in the peer-reviewed journal, Journal of Shellfish Research. The full paper can be found here.

this project was supported by:

Sarah K. de Coizart Article TENTH Perpetual Charitable Trust

Media coverage (Press releases/articles):

Check out this article in EcoNews RI that discusses Rhode Island bay scallops and features CFRF Executive Director, David Bethoney, as well as our collaborators at TNC and RI DEM. “Scientists, Shellfishermen Seek Strategies to Sustain Ocean State’s Dwindling Bay Scallop Populations”, January 2022.