Growth 



During the second growing season, 

 the young scallop in the 5- to 12-nnnn. 

 class apparently leaves its original 

 host and attaches itself to shells or 

 bottom debris by its byssus. Shell 

 growth is most rapid during the fol- 

 lowing growing season, after which it 

 is much slower. The relation of meat 

 yield to shell diameter changes with 

 the age of the animal, meat growth 

 continuing at a relatively high rate 

 after the third growing season (Baird, 

 1956). 



Table 2. --Average age-length of Maine 

 sea scallops 



[Baird, 1953 and 195Aii] 



range, 23 to 42 feet; average 

 bottom, soft. 



Southeast of Hersey Neck (East 

 Bay) - mean depth at mean low 

 water, 43 feet; range, 25 to 67 

 feet; average bottom, soft. 



Northeast of Denbow Neck - aver- 

 age depth at mean low water, 

 45 feet; range, 26 to 103 feet; 

 bottom varying from hard to soft. 



Northwest of Seward Neck - aver- 

 age depth at mean low water, 

 51 feet; range, 

 bottom, hard. 



21 to 72 feet; 



7. Seward Neck - Denbow Neck - 

 average depth at mean low water, 

 36 feet; range, 7 to 61 feet; 

 bottom varying from hard to soft. 



8. Southwest of Shackford Head 

 (Eastport) - average depth at 

 mean low water, 98 feet (dragged 

 only during slack-water periods); 

 range, 72 to 138 feet; bottom 

 ranging from soft to hard. 



9. Northwest of Lubec (Johnson 

 Bay) - average depth at mean low 

 water, 44 feet; range, 27 to 54 

 feet; average bottom, soft. 



Growing Areas 



Scallop -growing areas in Cobscook 

 Bay and the St. Croix estuary are 

 shown in figure 3. Characteristics of 

 these areas with respect to depth of 

 water and type of bottom are as fol- 

 lows: 



1. Whiting Bay - average depth at 

 mean low water, 34 feet; range, 

 28 to 41 feet; bottom varying 

 from hard to soft. 



2. Dennys Bay - depth at mean low 

 water, 40 feet; range, 26 to 72 

 feet; average bottom, hard. 



3. Pennamaquan River - average 

 depth at mean low water, 33 feet; 



10. St. Croix River estuary - average 

 depth at mean low water, 197 

 feet; range, 139 to 240 feet; 

 average bottom, soft. 



THE SCALLOP FISHERY 

 History of Commercial Activity 



A small number of resident fisher- 

 men drag for scallops in Cobscook 

 Bay and the St. Croix River estuary 

 each year during the open season from 

 November 1 through March 31. Wide 

 fluctuations in abundance have been 

 reported by comnnercial fishermen. 

 When scallops are relatively abundant, 

 increased landings are made by larger 



