VIMS After Hours: Bay Scallops

The bay scallop, Argopecten irradians, is an iconic shellfish of the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts, its classic seashell shape commonly used to represent the sea or coastal living. Despite this reverence as a symbol, bay scallop numbers have been declining along the Atlantic coast since the 1980’s, with the species being defined as functionally extinct from Virginia’s coastal bays since the 1930’s. Bay scallops have been the target of ongoing aquaculture efforts at the VIMS Eastern Shore Laboratory (ESL) since the 1960’s. Successful seagrass restoration efforts from scientists at VIMS in Virginia coastal bays have inspired a focus on restoring the bay scallop to critical seagrass habitat. Dr. Richard Snyder, Director of the VIMS ESL, will provide a presentation on the basic biology and ecology of the bay scallop, the history of its fishery and aquaculture use, and current work with the species at the ESL. After Hours lectures are designed for an adult audience. Registration required for all After Hours presentations. A Zoom link will be included in confirmation e-mail for optional remote attendance.