Piloting the Research Fleet Approach in the Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery

GENERAL DESCRIPTION:

It is well documented that there are seasonal and spatially dependent changes in scallop meat yield, quality, and reproductive status. A better understanding of these changes can be used to more accurately estimate yield from the fishery over the course of a year, and aid in attempts to link spawning and settlement. The Northeast Fisheries Observer Program collects catch and effort data year-round but does not provide data on individual scallops, which is needed to fill these gaps. This project will pilot the Research Fleet approach in the Atlantic sea scallop (Placopecten magellanicus) fishery. The approach engages and utilizes fishermen to collect the missing data key to improving the annual harvest allocation and stock.

Project goals:

To develop and initiate protocols for equipping scallopers to collect biological data on individual scallops in a near real-time, targeted, scientific way to support fisheries management and stock assessment.
Evaluate if this Research fleet is practical to bolster fishery-dependent data sources available for use by management and assessment efforts in the scallop fishery.