A rapid test for the determination of the spawning status of the bay scallop, Argopecten irradians (Lamarck, 1819)

摘要

The bay scallop, Argopecten irradians irradians (Lamarck, 1819), is a generally semelparous, commercially important marine bivalve found along the shores of the Northeast Atlantic from Cape Cod, Massachusetts to New Jersey. It can be found in areas of varying conditions, including current flow, nutrient levels, salinities, siltation levels, all factors that can affect its size when it becomes legally harvestable. A harvestable scallop is defined as having a visible growth ring signifying that it has completed its reproductive cycle. However, there are areas on the island of Nantucket, MA, that produce scallops that lack this classic growth ring, giving rise to disagreements between scallop fishermen and regulatory agencies concerning the legality of harvesting them or returning them to the water. A rapid, 10-min test has been developed to quickly determine whether scallops in a particular area have spawned. It was determined that bay scallops, at least those found in Nantucket waters, retain mature spermatozoa in their gonads throughout the scallop harvest season, which in Massachusetts, runs from October through March of the next year. Detection of their presence could be useful in determining their spawning status. A small piece of male gonad is removed, homogenized briefly, and stained to detect the presence of these residual spermatozoa. It is hoped that the implementation of this rapid test will help to settle some of these local disputes, which should help ensure the protection of seed scallops.