Sea Scallop Image-Based Research Fleet
GENERAL DESCRIPTION:
Seasonal and spatial changes in sea scallop (Placopecten magellanicus) meat yield, quality, and reproductive status are well documented. By gaining a better understanding of scallop biology, more accurate estimates of yield from the fishery can be obtained. The fishery is managed using NOAA’s sea scallop survey and Observer Program data. However, the survey cruises only occur in the spring and summer months and don’t include sampling in the Northern Gulf of Maine (NGOM). The Observer Program collects catch and effort data year-round but does not collect data on individual scallops and cannot focus on areas prioritized by stock assessment needs. This project will use the Research Fleet approach to assess an image-based, fishery-dependent data collection method to fill gaps in understanding of sea scallop biology. These include developing a cost-effective means of supplementing survey data, as well as gaining a better understanding of the timing of spawning cycles and the associated meat yield over a broad geographical area.
Project goals:
1. Develop a fishery-dependent data collection system to contribute data to sea scallop management
2. Develop an optimal image-based sampling method by collecting individual scallop images aboard commercial fishing vessels
3. Collect data from Open Area and NGOM management areas
4. Analyze and extract biological data from images of individual scallops
5. Create an annotated image library for future algorithm development
Individual scallop photo for analysis of meat condition and gonad stage, as well as shell height.
Data Collection Strategies:
Participant fishermen conduct at-sea sampling sessions, over a 12-month time period, during their normal fishing activities. Using a custom-built electronic imaging system, fishermen will be able to collect scientific data from individual scallops. Data collected will include:
Time/Date/Location
Over 2000 individaul scallop images to extract biological data including:
Shell height
Meat quality
Reproductive condition
Estimated mass of individual scallops
Project team:
Commercial Fisheries Research Foundation
Douglas Brander - Project Lead
N. David Bethoney
Cape Cod Commercial Fishermen’s Alliance
Melissa Sanderson, Chief Operating Officer
New England Marine Monitoring
Mark Hager, Chief Executive Officer
Anthony Lucia, Operations Manager
Participant vessels:
F/V Miss Emma, New Bedford/Provincetown, MA
F/V Kathy Ann, Barnegat Light, NJ
F/V Roen Keil, Provincetown, MA
F/V Tricia Lynn, Harwich/Dennis, MA
