Bay Scallops are plentiful this season

Bay Scallop season opened Wednesday along Florida’s Gulf Coast and reports from Gulf County are that this may be a record year. State researchers reported last month that they found a record number of Bay Scallops in the St. Joe Bay this year, averaging 97 scallops for every 600 square meters. In the areas around St. Marks and Lanark Village they found over 10 scallops per 600 square meters. Reports from Gulf County on the first day of harvesting season said people were reaching the legal limit of two gallons of bay scallop meat within an hour or so of going out. They also said they are finding scallops in parts of the bay where they haven’t been seen in quite a while and live bait fishermen say they can’t drag their nets in some portions of the bay because of the scallops on the bottom. If you plan on trying your hand at harvesting some bay scallops this year, the season runs through September the 10th. Bay scallops can only be harvested by hand or with a landing or dip net.