Placopecten magellanicus

Lore & Background

The shell of Placopecten magellanicus has a classic form with smooth shell and edges, unlike the fluted and scalloped edges of Pecten maximus. Its shell is generally pinkish-red with striped variegation to darker shades. The adductor muscle is large, often 30–40 mm in diameter. Like all scallops, it has photoreceptive eyes along the edge of the pinkish mantle.

This species is found on the continental shelf from the Gulf of St. Lawrence south to Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. It typically occurs at depths of 18–110 m, but can be found as shallow as 2 m in estuaries and as deep as 384 m. Scallops often form aggregations called beds, which may be sporadic or permanent, with highest concentrations corresponding to suitable temperatures, food availability, and oceanographic features that retain larvae.

Adult sea scallops are generally found on firm sand, gravel, shells, and rock. Associated invertebrates include sponges, hydroids, anemones, bryozoans, polychaetes, mussels, moon snails, whelks, amphipods, crabs, lobsters, sea stars, sea cucumbers, and tunicates.

Reader's Guide

The Atlantic sea scallop fishery is the largest wild scallop fishery in the world, managed by NOAA Fisheries and the New England Fishery Management Council. After a decline between the 1960s and mid-1990s, new management guidelines implemented in 1994—including a moratorium on permits, limited days at sea, gear and crew restrictions, and closed areas—led to a dramatic recovery. Between 1994 and 2005, biomass increased 18-fold on Georges Bank and 8-fold in the Mid-Atlantic Bight. In 2008, 53.5 million pounds worth $370 million were harvested; in 2018, 58.2 million pounds worth $532.9 million were harvested, with Massachusetts responsible for the majority.

The state of Maine manages an inshore winter fishery with measures including limited entry, a 70-day season, increased ring size, and conservation closures. Since 2009, both dollar value and landings have increased in Maine. The Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch lists sea scallops as a 'Good Alternative.' Greenpeace, however, red listed the species, stating stocks are overfished and methods destroy corals and sponges, and that nearly 1,000 loggerhead sea turtles are killed annually. Since 2015, chain mats and Turtle Deflector Dredges have been added to reduce sea turtle deaths, resulting in significant reduction.

Did You Know?

• Between 1994 and 2005, the biomass of the U.S. sea scallop population increased 18-fold on Georges Bank.
• Since 2015, chain mats and Turtle Deflector Dredges have significantly reduced sea turtle deaths in harvesting gear.