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Profile updated on 14 April 2024

SUMMARY

SUMMARY

IDENTIFICATION

SCIENTIFIC NAME(s)

Placopecten magellanicus

SPECIES NAME(s)

American sea scallop

The American sea scallop (Placopecten magellanicus) is found only in the Northwest Atlantic. Scallops are aggregated in patches and harvestable concentrations are called beds. Major areas of offshore fishing activity include aggregated patches in Browns Bank (North and South) and German Bank, also known as offshore Scallop Fishing Area (SFA) 26.

Scallops prefer a sandy, gravel bottom and occur in depths of 35 to 120 meters.

Advice on the status of sea scallop stock is requested annually by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), through the Canadian Science Advisory Secretariat (CSAS) process. DFO provides updates annually (DFO, 2023).


ANALYSIS

Strengths
  • An Integrated Fisheries Management Plan (IFMP) is in place by the management body (DFO) for the entire offshore sea scallop fishery, which includes the Browns Bank North, Browns Bank South, and German Bank (DFO, 2023).
  • The management body (DFO) publicly releases annual set TAC values which are updated to the year 2023 for the German Bank (DFO, 2023).

SCORES

Management Quality:

Management Strategy:

≥ 6

Managers Compliance:

≥ 6

Fishers Compliance:

10.0