Assessing the Recruitment Dynamics and Impacts of Offshore Wind Development on Larval Atlantic Sea Scallops with a Novel 47-year Dataset along the U.S. Northeast Shelf
PI: Andrew Corso, Ph.D. (CFF)
Co-PIs: Scott Gallager, PhD - Coastal Ocean Vision, Changsheng Chen, PhD - SMAST, University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth, MA, Siqi Li, PhD - SMAST, University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth, MA
Collaborator: Harvey Walsh - NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service, Northeast Fisheries Science Center
Participating Fishing Industry Members: Let It Ride Fishing Corp., Five Fathom, Inc.Quinn Fisheries Inc., Viking Village, Inc.
Funded by the Sea Scallop Research Set Aside Program
Project Objectives: During this project we will locate, group, and scan approximately 3,800 larval bivalve samples for analysis in the NEFSC plankton archive. Samples in good condition will be cleaned, then loaded onto a BLIS system and scanned. The resulting polarized images will be processed by ShellBi software and all samples containing larval sea scallops paired with corresponding metadata. These data will represent the longest-running, most spatially and temporally complete time-series of sea scallop abundance of any life stage. Then, the time-series will be used to conduct experiments using the Scallop-IBM, including validation of previous model simulations for fall spawning, creating novel simulations for spring spawning, and assessing the impacts of OSW on all larvae. We will also evaluate optimal sampling protocols for larval sea scallops during EcoMon cruises and aboard commercial fishing vessels. Collectively, the results of this project will enhance the knowledge of sea scallop spawning, dispersal, and recruitment. Results will also contribute to the body of information on the impacts of OSW and inform estimates of abundance and connectivity of adult sea scallops. These data are urgently needed to support annual sea scallop fishery management.
