Bay Scallop season begins Wednesday

Bay Scallop season begins Wednesday along Florida’s Gulf Coast and state biologists say this year’s season should be pretty good in Gulf County. Bay scallop season runs July 1st through September the 10th and St. Joe Bay in Gulf County and St. Marks in Wakulla County are two of the few waters in the state where harvesting the scallops is legal. Researchers say they found plenty of Bay Scallops in the St. Joe Bay this year an average of 97 for every 600 square meters – which is the most found since at least 1997. Last year it was just over 11 scallops for every 600 square meters. If you do plan to get some Bay scallops this year – there are a number of rules you have to follow. The daily bag limit for bay scallops is two gallons of whole bay scallops in the shell, or one pint of bay scallop meat. Also, laws prohibit any vessel from having more than 10 gallons of whole bay scallops in the shell, or ½ gallon of bay scallop meat on board at any time. It is also illegal to possess or land bay scallops on waters outside open harvest areas. So while it is legal to take scallops from St. Joe Bay, it would be illegal to dock your boat in Panama City with the scallop catch onboard. Bay scallops can only be harvested by hand or with a landing or dip net.