Bay scallops surge on the Eastern Shore

Once locally extinct, the Virginia bay scallop population is increasing exponentially due to restoration work by W&M's Batten School & VIMS Eastern Shore Laboratory.

VIMS ESL's 2025 Bay Scallop Survey documented an average density of 0.114 scallops per square meter, with researchers routinely finding multiple scallops within a single square meter - something unimaginable just a few years ago. (Photo by Reba Turner Smith)

The following story originally appeared on the website for W&M's Batten School & VIMS. - Ed.

Virginia's bay scallop population is experiencing an unprecedented resurgence, thanks to years of dedicated restoration work led by William & Mary's Batten School & VIMS Eastern Shore Laboratory (ESL) in Wachapreague. Once locally extinct due to habitat loss, bay scallops are now multiplying in the restored eelgrass meadows of the southern coastal bays along the Eastern Shore. Now, a recreational fishery could be on the horizon.

VIMS ESL's 2025 Bay Scallop Survey documented an average density of 0.114 scallops per square meter, with researchers routinely finding multiple scallops within a single square meter - something unimaginable just a few years ago. With the recent trend of progressive growth, researchers estimate the population will double in less than 1.5 years.

"The restoration of bay scallops to their former range along the Virginian Eastern Shore represents a significant societal and ecological achievement," said VIMS ESL Director Richard Snyder.

Importantly for seafood lovers, the new numbers match Florida's minimum population density for a stable population, opening the possibility that Virginians may one day be able to harvest local bay scallops themselves. The commonwealth currently has a moratorium on harvesting wild bay scallops.

"In New England, North Carolina and Florida, individuals with a fishing license can harvest scallops," explained VIMS ESL Assistant Director Stacy Krueger-Hadfield. "The next step for us is to review management and regulatory frameworks being used for harvest elsewhere and provide advice to the Virginia Marine Resources Commission to establish rules for Virginia, so that we don't decimate the population we just restored."

From local extinction to recovery

Bay scallops (Argopecten irradians) once thrived in Virginia waters until seagrass wasting disease decimated the scallops' natural habitat of eelgrass. For approximately 90 years, the species was absent from the commonwealth's coastal bays.

However, in 1997, Batten School & VIMS researchers launched a seed-based submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) restoration project now considered the most successful seagrass restoration in the world. With the reintroduction of eelgrass, scientists saw an opportunity to restore bay scallops as well.

Since 2009, VIMS ESL has raised scallops in their Castagna Shellfish Research Hatchery and released them into flourishing seagrass beds which now cover more than 10,000 acres. An annual census, begun in 2012, has tracked the restoration efforts. Early years showed relatively low, fluctuating numbers, but recently the population has surged and researchers say its upper limit remains unknown.

Explaining the accelerating rise in scallops following years of mixed results, Krueger-Hadfield said, "There was probably a certain number of animals that were needed to create a sustaining population, and that number wasn't there right away. But by continuing to deploy spawning cages and release scallops into nature, we're likely reaching the right levels of what we call 'propagule pressure,' where natural spawning may now be occurring in the bays, leading to that increase in population."

A powerful restoration process

VIMS ESL Hatchery Manager Reba Turner Smith is a key contributor to the delicate process of caring for bay scallops. "When working with such a short-lived species, producing and maintaining healthy stocks each year is critical to the success of the following year's production," she said. "The utmost care must be given throughout the scallops' entire life cycle. And compared to more commonly cultured shellfish species, bay scallops require more labor and space to provide optimal growing conditions."

The restoration of bay scallops begins with the collection of brood stock, which are maintained in cages in South Bay and Burton's Bay. In spring, the brood stock is brought back to VIMS ESL, where Turner Smith gently warms the animals to induce spawning. In addition to the original recovery line, scallops from New York, North Carolina and Florida are also spawned to maximize genetic diversity. The larvae spend about 10 days in a planktonic phase, during which they are fed high-quality algae and their tanks are cleaned regularly.

Once the larvae metamorphose and set, they are transferred to the nursery for grow-out under the supervision of Nursery Manager Darian Kelley. Here, they begin receiving local creek water containing natural plankton, which requires daily care due to the region's high sediment loads. Kelley monitors, cleans and manages the young scallops every single day from April through July, with workloads increasing as the number of scallop tables multiplies.

After reaching appropriate size, typically after 60 to 75 days, the scallops are sized, bagged and deployed in cages at designated bay sites. Cages are stocked at controlled densities, while any excess scallops are released directly into the wild.

The flourishing of scallops in local bays can be credited to both the dedicated work of VIMS ESL staff, as well as optimal habitat conditions. Said Kelley, "Scallop restoration has been amplified by the continued success of the eelgrass restoration to create a stable bay habitat, in addition to favorable weather conditions and water quality."

Public grants, private philanthropy and dedicated workers

Bay scallop restoration has depended heavily on grant funds, private donations, volunteer labor and creative persistence.

"Grant funding came from multiple sources, including the Army Corps of Engineers, Keith Campbell Foundation, Saltonstall-Kennedy Program, Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program and Virginia Agriculture Council. Private support also came from many sources that were critical to bridging gaps in agency funding sources, including several private individuals and a Go-Fund-Me campaign," said Krueger-Hadfield.

"Private funding is critical to the success of long-term efforts such as this, where grant funding covers only short duration work and leaves gaps in time and support."

Monetary support empowers a small but dedicated group of staff, summer interns and volunteers who work long hours - mornings, evenings, weekends and even holidays like Memorial Day and the Fourth of July - to ensure the young scallops' survival, deploy the animals into the wild and conduct the annual population survey. Student volunteers from the Batten School of Coastal & Marine Sciences & VIMS Gloucester Point campus and volunteers from the Nature Conservancy have been critical partners helping in the annual scallop population census.

The future of scallop restoration

As the bay scallop population grows, VIMS ESL researchers are mindful of future challenges. Bay scallops only live for approximately 1.5 years, so variations in the environment can result in population declines. Still, the sense of optimism among scientists is strong having witnessed several years of continual growth in the population.

"There are people at ESL who have dedicated their lives to this work," said Krueger-Hadfield, "so to see the hard work and sacrifice pay off with such success is very rewarding for all of us."

"Reba and I have been growing bay scallops for the past 10 years," said Kelley. "It's incredibly fulfilling that the local population may be approaching self-sustaining levels. It's also been gratifying to see increasing interest among the local aquaculture community to pursue bay scallops as a feasible commercial product."

Turner Smith agreed with her long-term collaborator: "Shellfish are such an important part of Virginia's environments, economy and culture, and we are hopeful that bay scallops are on the way to becoming more commonplace in those realms once again."

For individuals who want to philanthropically support ESL's restoration of bay scallops, contributions can be made to the Eastern Shore Laboratory (3525) or to the Bonnie Sue Internship Program Fund (4262), which dedicates an annual summer intern to scallop care and deployment.

Ethan Smith, W&M's Batten School & VIMS

• share by email
• share on Facebook
• share on X
• share on LinkedIn

• share by email
• share on Facebook
• share on X
• share on LinkedIn

Related Stories