Mollusks on the Move

Thanks to work led by William & Mary’s Batten School of Coastal & Marine Sciences & the Virginia Institute for Marine Science (VIMS) Eastern Shore Laboratory (ESL), the once locally extinct bay scallops are now thriving along Virginia’s Eastern Shore.

For almost 90 years, the bay scallops were absent from the ecosystem following destruction of their eelgrass habitats. With restoration efforts well underway, VIMS scientists have hopes for a recreational fishery in the near future.

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

In 1997, VIMS launched what has now become the most successful eelgrass restoration in the world. The reintroduction of bay scallops began with their hatching in 2009, and a census that has been occurring since 2012 has tracked the progress of this successful restoration.

“Shellfish are such an important part of Virginia’s environment, economy and culture,” says VIMS ESL Hatchery Manager Reba Turner Smith. “We are hopeful that bay scallops are on the way to becoming more commonplace in those realms once again.” Read the full article.