Comparative Analysis of Sea Scallop Escapement/Retention and Resulting Economic Impacts

摘要

Major objectives of sea scallop resource management have been to reduce the capture of undersized scallops and to delay the age of entry into the fishery. One approach to these objectives has been an attempt to evaluate the effectiveness of increasing the ring size on the standard New Bedford dredge. The objectives of the study were designed to addresses the following problems and impediments: To determine the technical efficiency and relative size selectivity of a 3 versus 3.5-inch ring dredge; to assess the economic ramifications associated with the use of a 3.5-inch ring dredge; to evaluate the potential ramifications on the management of sea scallops and industry response associated with the use of a 3.5-inch dredge.