Bay Scallop Management Information

Bay Scallop Annual Update

Bay Scallops are a short-lived species that are considered an annual crop. They are sensitive to environmental change and may experience high levels of predation, which can impact annual abundance. As a result, a stock assessment is not available for Bay Scallop. The August 2020 Bay Scallop FMP Update was adopted as an Information Update to the Bay Scallop FMP. Bay Scallop are currently managed under Amendment 2 to the FMP, which implements a closed season unless minimum progressive abundance triggers set in the plan are met. In 2025, no area met the minimum abundance trigger to open. Subsequently, no open harvest season occurred in 2026. In 2024, the DEQ Secretary approved the division request to delay the plan review one year to reduce overlap in ongoing plan reviews and upon identification of no immediate need for management changes. As a result, the next comprehensive plan review was scheduled to begin in 2026. However, the division is requesting an additional one-year delay in the comprehensive review of the Bay Scallop FMP, such that the comprehensive review will begin in 2027.