Notice to the Maine Scallop Industry: Cobscook Survey Results Summary

DMR Science staff completed the first in-season survey for Cobscook this past weekend, January 4 through 6. Data have been analyzed and two summary figures are presented below.

No scallop actions are occurring this week. The Department will issue a follow-up notice when more details are available.

Survey highlights:

• After 5 weeks of fishing, there has been a 44% decrease in the density of legal scallops (see Figure 1, 2024-2025, blue hue bars).
• When compared to values from the 2023-2024 season, Cobscook started out at a lower density for legal scallops. The growth that occurred between January 2024 to December 2024 has been harvested during the last 5 weeks of fishing.
• There was an increase in observations of cut sublegal shellstock, with the highest number of observations noted within South Bay (see Figure 2).

Other notes:

• There has been a consistently higher level of effort in Cobscook this season than in the previous 3 seasons.
• Cutting sublegal scallops negatively impacts this season and every season that follows.

COBSCOOK BAY: Density of Legal Scallops

Figure 1:On the left, in green hues, is the initial and final density of legal scallops for the 2023-2024 season. On the right, in the blue hues, is the initial density and the in-season (5 weeks) density of legal scallops for the 2024-2025 season. The black dotted line represents the average density of legal scallops over time as observed by the scallop survey for the years 2016 through to 2024.

COBSCOOK BAY: Survey January 4-6, 2025

Figure 2:Within the Cobscook survey area, red bubbles indicate observations of cut sublegal scallops. The larger the red bubble, the higher the number of observed cut sublegal shells per tow. The size range of sublegal cut shells observed were as small as 2.5 inches in shell height to just below legal 4 inches.

Melissa D. Smith
Marine Resource Management Coordinator - Scallop & Pelagic Fisheries
Maine Department of Marine Resources
21 State House Station, 32 Blossom Lane
Augusta, ME 04333-0021
Updated contact info: Call or text (207) 441-5040