TINY TREASURES

Scalloping Provides Good Times And Great Eats

Written by: Paul urman, Ph.D.

Summer in Tallahassee, Florida, can be quite boring for a college student. Most of my friends had gone home and only a few stayed in town. It was early one morning during the summer of 1994 and we were trying to figure out what to do that day.

I checked the mail and I’d received a copy of a popular fishing magazine that had a picture on the cover of a bucket full of scallops. I pointed it out to my friends and all had the same response—we loved to eat scallops but had never gone “scalloping.” at was our cue. We loaded up in my truck, armed with a couple buckets and my snorkeling equipment, and headed to the coast, driving west on U.S. 98 toward St. Joseph Bay. en we saw them … everywhere. Within half an hour, we had our limit—and sore backs from bending over constantly. e next couple hours were spent cleaning our bounty and enjoying a couple well-earned beverages. is was followed by one of the most satisfying meals I’ve had to this day. I was hooked.

Once we arrived, we started seeing piles of scallop shells on the side of the road next to the bay and figured we must be in the right spot. We parked and waded out into the grass flats, not seeing much until we got a couple hundred yards out.

Scalloping is a great activity for the whole family. In fact, many people who don’t enjoy fishing with a rod and reel do enjoy scalloping. You don’t have to be quiet or particularly skilled. For lots of families, the opening of scallop season is an annual ritual in which everyone travels to the coast for a couple days to gather these small delicacies. While a boat can provide access to unscalloped seagrass beds that can’t be accessed by foot, it’s certainly not required, especially in areas such as St. Joseph Bay in Gulf County.

Compared to other types of fishing, not much equipment is required—only a bag or bucket to put your catch in. You’ll also need access to healthy grass flats with clear water. Scallops tend to like saltier water than other bivalves such as oysters, so be sure to target seagrass beds in coastal estuaries like Steinhatchee rather than bays like Tampa Bay.

DON’T CONFUSE OUR BAY SCALLOPS WITH THEIR LARGER COUSINS—THE OCEAN SCALLOP. WHILE BAY SCALLOPS ARE ONLY ABOUT A THIRD THE SIZE OF SEA SCALLOPS, THEY ARE WIDELY CONSIDERED TO HAVE A SWEETER TASTE AND A MORE TENDER TEXTURE. BAY SCALLOPS TEND TO HAVE SHELLS UP TO ONLY A FEW INCHES ACROSS.

Snorkeling, scuba or an underwater viewer is helpful for finding scallops in deeper water because their small size can make them di cult to see from the surface. Once you find them, just grab them and put them in your bag. is can be a little easier said than done, however, because—believe it or not— they can sense you coming and are capable of evading catch. Although scallops aren’t as abundant as they once were, isolated populations are still found primarily along the northern Gulf Coast of Florida. Scallops are very sensitive to environmental changes and are most plentiful where water quality is good and seagrasses are abundant. Historically found throughout much of the state, scallops are now most plentiful between Tarpon Springs and Port St. Joe where coastal development is limited.

Scallop populations also tend to vary from year to year in terms of overall numbers and areas where they are found in the highest densities. Multiple state agencies, such as the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, collect and provide information on local scallop populations and areas closed because of water quality issues.

Fresh bay scallops are among the sweetest, tastiest meat you can eat. ey are great fried or sautéed, and make a fantastic ceviche. Just don’t overcook them! eir small size makes them cook very quickly. Also, don’t confuse our bay scallops with their larger cousins—the ocean scallop. While bay scallops are only about a third the size of sea scallops, they are widely considered to have a sweeter taste and a more tender texture. Bay scallops tend to have shells up to only a few inches across.

Even though you may not consider it “fishing,” in Florida a saltwater fishing license is required if you are required to have one for other types of fishing. When going scalloping, it’s important to check the most up-to-date regulations. Because of their changing abundances, regulations are o en di erent based on location.

If you’re interested in scalloping, do your homework and check local regulations. Scallop season varies from county to county. For more info, visit myfwc.com/fishing/saltwater/recreational/bay-scallops/. Good luck and tight lines! FCM