CFRF Atlantic Sea Scallop Biological Research Program
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
The Commercial Fisheries Research Foundation (CFRF) sea scallop biological research program is a multi-faceted initiative that uses innovative, fishery-dependent approaches to improve understanding of scallop health, reproduction, and yield across space and time.
Central to the program is the development of an image-based research fleet, which equips commercial vessels to collect high-resolution images and biological data on individual scallops throughout the year. This effort builds on an initial pilot project that tested the feasibility of a “research fleet” model, which engages fishermen directly in scientific data collection, to fill key gaps left by traditional surveys, particularly around seasonal changes in meat quality and spawning dynamics.
Complementary projects expand the program’s scope by addressing environmental change, emerging ocean uses, and scalable data collection. A shell analysis study examines decades of scallop shells to understand how ocean acidification and other stressors affect growth, strength, and survival, while the ScallApp initiative enables fishermen to report real-time observations of disease, meat condition, and reproductive status across a wide geographic range. Additional work evaluated how offshore wind development may impact scallop biological condition by integrating sampling into long-term monitoring of wind farm areas, and further refines the research fleet concept to support adaptive management.
Together, these projects create a comprehensive, industry-driven data network that improves stock assessment, supports climate and ecosystem research, and strengthens the resilience of the Atlantic sea scallop fishery.
Learn More About Our sea scallop biological research Projects:
Our Atlantic sea scallop biological research program is composed of several different projects. Check out the pages below to learn more about each of these projects.
Piloting the Research Fleet Approach in the Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery (Completed in 2023)
Investigating Changes in Sea Scallop Shell Strength (Led by the University of Connecticut)
