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History of Sea Scallop Working Group - Harlyn Halvorson The Sea Scallop Working Group (SSWG) was organized in 1994 (Leavitt, et al, 1996) as a forum for discussion and action by a wide spectrum of stakeholders, state and federal officials, environmentalists, financial supporters, and scientists with the goal of supporting the development of sea scallop aquaculture in New England. Dr. H.O. Halvorson chairs SSWG meetings. SSWG meets bimonthly and involves all stakeholders. These meetings have concentrated on various topics; new cage technology, education, state aquaculture initiatives and review of state aquaculture projects, biological community associated with scallops, concerns of the investment community, how elected decision makers get technical information, right whale concerns, ownership and extension of demonstration lease project, exchanges with NOAA regulatory representatives and economic analysis of shellfish aquaculture. In addition, SSWG has provided input and evaluation to various federal initiatives, as the NOAA Policy Document on Aquaculture, and the White Paper on aquaculture by the State of Massachusetts. SSWG serves to provide an opportunity for exchange, to keep a group of individuals informed, and to respond to policy initiatives. Minutes of these meetings are distributed to over 150 decision-makers that wish to keep abreast of these activities. SSWG recently evaluated. Accomplishments 1. 1995 Blueprint for sea scallop aquaculture A Working Paper, which included a review of relevant literature was prepared and served as a basis for discussion of breakout groups at the Sea Scallop Workshop. The principal issues addressed were: sea scallop culture technologies appropriate for Massachusetts; siting criteria, including consideration of user conflicts; potential environmental impacts of sea scallop aquaculture; regulatory restraints to sea scallop aquaculture economic feasibility of sea scallop aquaculture; public education with respect tosea scallop aquaculture; and developing a better "knowledge base" for sea scallop biology and aquaculture technology 2. Seastead Project: first project for aquaculture permitted in U.S. federal waters. The document resulting from this Workshop (Halvorson, et al, 1995) was an industry-driven, bottom-up blueprint for sea scallop aquaculture in Massachusetts. Hence, it put forward recommendations from the prospective of potential sea scallop farmers tempered by the advice and guidance of professional scientists, government managers, regulators, lawyers, environmentalists, and economic development specialists. The recommendations of the SSWG have been used to promote demonstration projects that can showcase the many opportunities for applying new technology for the commercial benefit to the region. One of the projects under consideration by SSWG initially was a proposal to establish a nine square mile site south of Martha's Vineyard, MA, for an 18-month experiment and demonstration project involving sea scallop research and aquaculture. This experimental use proposal, by a consortium of sea scallop operation owners in consultation with the staff of the MIT Sea Grant Program and the Conservation Law Foundation in Boston, was selected for US government funding (Smolowitz, et al, 1998). Since this project would be conducted in federal waters, it required an amendment to the Atlantic Sea Scallop Fisheries Management Plan. With support from SSWG and others, this amendment was approved in February, 1996, by the New England Fishery Management Council. This is the first permit for aquaculture issued in US Federal waters, and opens opportunities for aquaculture projects in New England federal waters.
3. 1999 Blueprint for sea scallop aquaculture The main recommendations were: 1. A dependable source of seed no matter whether from hatchery or spat collection. 2. Secure and biologically favorable growout sites. 3. Harvesting technology that facilitates rapid handling of large numbers of animals without damaging or compromising them or the environment. 4. Supportive social, legal, and political frameworks. PCMBT has implemented the SSWG Blueprint from the Summit meeting by applying
for grants to: The latter grants were developed with scientists from ECOS (U Mass Boston), WHOI, NMFS, a Falmouth technology company (Hydros), and a commercial fisherman and aquaculturist. 3. Created Web Page for Sea Scallops 4. The Sea Scallop Recruitment Group It prepared a proposal, funded by NOAA;"A New Role for the Commercial Fishing Fleet in Monitoring, Predicting, and Managing Sea Scallop Resources". The long range goals of this project are to integrate real-time technology into the commercial scallop fishing fleet on Georges Bank for the purpose of identifying oceanographic features where scallop larvae aggregate in high numbers, for efficiently collecting juvenile scallops (spat) in the water column, and for providing fishery managers with tools for predicting scallop recruitment as a function of larval distribution in the water column and maximizing the effectiveness of rotational area management practices. To provide accurate prediction information we need to: Know where adult scallops are distributed and when they spawn. Monitor the distribution of larvae in the water column at high frequencies over long periods of time with reference to physical features such as frontal boundaries. Couple our field observations with numerical models of water currents
and larval behavior to make accurate temporal and spatial predictions
of spat set. Have the current existence of areas closed to groundfishing, particularly those areas not currently under consideration for reopening to scallop fishing. 5. Publications: Smolowitz, R., C. Goudey, S. Hendriksen, E. Welch, K. Riaf, P. Hoagland, H. Kite-Powell, R. Smolowitz, and D. Leavitt. 1998. Sea Scallop Enhancing and Sustainable Harvesting. The Seastead Project. Report from Westport Scalloping Corporation to NOAA, Award No. 66FD0027. *************************************************************
Dr. Harlyn Halvorson |