Research TAC Set Aside Scallop Exemption Program for 2008

Home , Dennys Bay, Englishman Bay, Machias Bay, Penobscot Bay

NOAA Grant Number: NA11NMF4540019 (DMR#4312)

Grantee: Maine Department of Marine Resources (ME DMR)

Project Title: An Assessment of Sea Scallop Distribution and Abundance in Federal and Adjacent State Waters of the Gulf of Maine

Project Code: 11-SCA-04

Amount of Grant: 77,135 lbs. of scallops from any open area or open access area

Start Date: 03/01/2011

Period Covered by Report: 03/01/2011 – 3/31/2015 Executive Summary

The sea scallop fishery in the Northern Gulf of Maine (NGOM) occurs in federal waters and is managed by the New England Fishery Management Council. The NGOM resource and associated fishery are at times locally important but amount to a small portion of the total stock and landings. The fishery is managed by total allowable catch (TAC) independently of the rest of the EEZ sea scallop stock. The NGOM fishery does not use biological reference points as targets or thresholds. A cooperative survey was carried out by the Maine Department of Marine Resources (DMR) and the University of Maine in May-June 2012. Survey results indicate that the biomass (by meat weight) of NGOM sea scallops targeted by the fishery (102+ mm or 4+ in shell height) was approximately 164 MT (90% confidence interval of 74-279 MT) in 2012.

Landings during 2009-12 amounted to approximately 7 MT. Based on these biomass estimates the exploitation rate in weight (landings/stock biomass, assuming harvested scallops greater than 102 mm shell height and a survey dredge efficiency of 43.6%) during 2012 was 2.1% with a 90% confidence interval from 1.3% to 4.7%. The previous survey in 2009 noted a large year class of 10-50 mm scallops on Platts Bank; this year class was still evident in 2012 and had grown to approximately 65-90 mm.

Maine state waters were surveyed in 2012-14. In 2013 Cobscook Bay had the highest amount of harvestable (> 4 in. shell height) biomass (452.2 + 27.2 thsd. lbs.) ever observed from the survey with a large amount of it present in South Bay. The highest density of harvestable scallops was in Whiting Bay/Dennys Bay. Highest densities of both seed (0.101 per m²) and sublegals (0.333 per m²) were in Johnson Bay.

A sea scallop survey was carried out in April 2014 in management zone 2 (eastern Maine coast between W. Quoddy Head and upper Penobscot Bay). The survey was directed into the seven (7) rotational areas scheduled to be open to fishing in the 2014-15 season. A total of 139 tows were completed on the survey.

Harvestable (> 4 in. shell height) scallop density was significantly higher in the Bold Coast rotational area in 2014 than in the adjacent open area in 2013. Sublegal (2.5-3.9 in. shell height) density also was greater than in the adjacent open area in 2013. Seed (<2.5 in. shell height) density remained at a relatively high level, comparable to 2013.

Density of harvestable scallops was higher in the Little Kennebec/Englishman Bay rotational area in 2014 than in the adjacent open area in 2013. Seed and sublegal densities were less than in 2013 however. This area contained mostly harvestable scallops.

The five other (Addison, Frenchmans Bay, Swan’s Island, Isle au Haut Bay, upper Penobscot Bay) rotational areas had poor scallop abundance. The highest density of harvestables was in Isle au Haut Bay but this was only in a limited part of the survey area.

Purpose

The major objective of the project was to develop a survey program to assess scallop distribution and abundance in federal waters of the Northern Gulf of Maine (NGOM) Scallop Management Area (as defined in Amendment 11 to the Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery Management Plan) and to estimate a biologically sustainable TAC for the stock. A dredge-based survey of the scallop resource in the federal portion of the NGOM was conducted by Maine DMR in collaboration with the commercial fishing industry and the University of Maine in May-June 2012 to provide information upon which management actions such as a TAC could be based. The scope of work of this project was extended into dredge-based surveys of state NGOM waters along eastern Maine and in Cobscook Bay during 2012-14.

Approach

A.) Northern Gulf of Maine (federal waters) survey

Vessel and gear

F/V Foxy Lady II, a 45 ft. side-rigged scallop vessel based in Stonington, ME, served as the platform for the entire survey. The vessel and captain were well-experienced, having conducted several scallop surveys with DMR since 2002. The 2012 NGOM survey was conducted from the ports of Gloucester (MA) and Portland, Stonington, Southwest Harbor and Bucks Harbor (ME).

The survey gear was a 7 ft. wide New Bedford-style chain sweep dredge with 2 inch rings, 1¾ inch head bale, 3½ inch twine top and 10 inch pressure plate and equipped with rock chains (Fig. 1). The dredge was not lined. The dredge frame and clubstick were fabricated by Blue Fleet Welding (New Bedford, MA) and the ring bag was constructed by Pacheco Gear (E. Freetown, MA). Final assembly of the dredge and installation of the twine top was by Capt. Wally Gray (Stonington, ME) in 2009.

The survey dredge was of a configuration largely consistent with that used in 2002-08 inshore Gulf of Maine surveys (Kelly 2009; Schick and Feindel 2005), with the exception of a slightly larger pressure plate for towing in deeper water and smaller rings to allow better retention of small scallops. The gear was of a size which would allow it to be used in both nearshore and offshore parts of the Gulf of Maine, would facilitate sufficient bottom coverage and allow it to be transported over ground to various sampling locations throughout the region.

Figure 1. View of survey dredge constructed in 2009.

Survey design

The NGOM management area is bounded by Cape Ann, Massachusetts in the west and the Canadian border in the east (Fig. 2). Prior to 2009 when the first survey was conducted, the NGOM had limited fishery dependent and no recent fishery-independent data available to help design the survey. Scallops are not found uniformly throughout this region so sampling efforts were focused on a subset of areas in the NGOM. To determine this subset, fishing locations from National Marine Fisheries Service vessel trip reports (VTRs) from 2000 to 2008 were reviewed as well as three historical surveys of the region from the 1970s and 1980s (Spencer 1974; Serchuk 1983; Serchuk and Wigley 1984).

In addition to the information available, two fishermen with a history of scalloping in the Gulf of Maine were interviewed to help identify current and historical fishing grounds. These sources of information were used qualitatively to determine the five sampling areas: Machias-Seal Island (MSI), Mount Desert Rock (MDR), Platts Bank (PB), Northeast of Cape Ann (NCA) and Northern Stellwagen Bank (NSB; Fig. 2). To increase sampling precision, the two western strata off the Massachusetts coast (where most fishing occurs), NCA and NSB, were further divided into substrata of expected high, medium and low scallop density.

Dredge tow stations were selected from a grid overlying each stratum. The dimensions of each grid unit were 1 km2. Each survey followed a two-stage random stratified design

3 in the NCA and NSB strata. Station allocation in the first stage was based on fishing intensity from 2000-2008 vessel trip report (VTR) data and the size of each substratum. Forty stations in each stratum were assigned to the first stage and distributed among substrata according to the formula:

Eqn. 1

where Ns (rounded) is the number of stations to be sampled in substratum , is the median function, is the VTR landings from 2000 to 2008 for substratum and is the area of substratum . VTR data is assumed to be a proxy for scallop density and so was used to help allocate survey sample size. Such commercial data have also been used in the design of Canadian scallop surveys (Robert and Jamieson 1986; Serchuk and Wigley 1986). Area size was included in the weighting to ensure sufficient effort in the larger substrata.

Figure 2. The NGOM and the 5 strata selected for the survey, with substrata of differing expected scallop density appearing in the western areas inset. MSI: Machias-Seal Island; MDR: Mount Desert Rock; PB: Platts Bank; NCA: Northeast of Cape Ann; NSB: Northern Stellwagen Bank.

In the NCA and NSB strata, which were further divided into substrata, a two-stage survey was employed. The approach taken by Francis (1984) was used to allocate tows to the second survey stage. His formula to assign one additional station among strata is:

Eqn. 2 where is the assumed reduction in variance from adding a single station to a particular substratum , is the area, is the mean catch rate (when squared, a proxy for the variance suggested by Francis (1984)) and is the number of additional stations. Twenty stations were available for the second stage and were apportioned among the substrata. They were assigned one-by-one (by repeated use of Eqn. 2) according to whichever substratum would gain the most in terms of reduced variance from receiving one additional station. As such, the assignment of the th station can be written:

Eqn. 3

A single stage design was used for the remaining three strata in the eastern GOM.

In 2012 206 stations were sampled with a target tow duration of 5 minutes and about 540 m although fixed gear (lobster traps, gillnets) in some locations forced shorter tows.

B.) State waters surveys

The 2012-14 surveys were conducted aboard two commercial scallop vessels each deploying the standardized survey drag. Vessels were the 39 ft. F/V Kristin Lee from Eastport, ME (surveyed Cobscook Bay and St. Croix R. in 2012-13 and eastern Maine (management zone 2) in 2013) and the 40 ft. F/V Bad Company from Cutler, ME (surveyed eastern Maine in 2013-14).

The Mt. Desert Rock and Machias Seal Is. areas were surveyed in June 2012 during the federal waters survey. Cobscook Bay and the St. Croix River were surveyed in October 2012 and 2013 and eastern Maine was covered in April-May 2013 and 2014.

Cobscook Bay has the most productive scallop fishery within Maine waters and is thus sampled with the most frequency and with the highest intensity of the state survey zones. A direct assessment of scallop abundance for this stratum is made by using a systematic sampling design.

Six survey substrata (South Bay, Pennamaquan River, East Bay, Whiting Bay/Dennys Bay, Johnson Bay and Moose Island) within Cobscook Bay representing spatially contiguous fished areas were determined in consultation with fishing industry members prior to the initial survey and have been repeated in subsequent surveys with only slight modification.

Cobscook Bay tow locations were based on a 500 m grid overlaying each substratum. This grid accommodated an average tow length of approximately 300 m. The Cobscook Bay surveys comprised 85-90 tows.

Tow time was 2.5 minutes and stations were sampled by a straight line tow. Boat speed averaged 3.5-4 knots.

5 Sampling procedure

Stations to be sampled were plotted using Capn Voyager™ navigational software. A Garmin™ Map 76 GPS unit with Garmin™ GA 29 GPS antenna interfaced with a laptop computer displaying station location was used to position the vessel on station. Location and time were recorded at three points (dredge in, tow start and haulback) for each tow. A Juniper Allegro™ ruggedized handheld computer was also interfaced with a GPS unit to record time/date/location information.

A ruggedized handheld computer with an RS232 serial port input for digital calipers was used to facilitate rapid entry of shell measurements and other information while sampling. Data entry screens for the sampling programs and survey were configured using Data Plus Professional™ software, which aided in standardizing data entry, providing error checks and minimizing subsequent data auditing and keying (Schick and Feindel 2005).

The following sampling protocol was employed for each tow:

1.) Station information (location, time, depth) was entered from the wheelhouse.

2.) Bottom type was recorded as combinations of mud, sand, rock, and gravel based on sounder information and dredge contents. For example “Sg” designated a primarily sand substratum with some gravel (after Kelley et. al. 1998).

3.) Once the drag was emptied, a digital picture of the haul was taken.

4.) Scallops, sea cucumbers (Cucumaria frondosa) and ocean quahogs (Arctica islandica) were culled from the drag contents for subsequent measurement. Catches of the latter species were quantified because of their importance in other drag fisheries. While the survey gear is not suitable for formally sampling ocean quahogs their presence in the catch does suggest the existence of a bed below the sediment.

5.) Bycatch was enumerated using a 0-5 qualitative abundance scale corresponding to “absent”, “present”, “rare”, “common”, “abundant”, and “very abundant”.

6.) Total number of scallops was recorded. The total weight and volume of the scallop, sea cucumber, and ocean quahog catch was recorded.

7.) The shell height (SH; distance from the umbo to the outer edge, perpendicular to the hinge line) of individual scallops was measured. All scallops from catches of 100 animals or less were measured for SH. If >100 scallops were present at least 100 were measured. Where n > 1,000 a subsample of 10% was measured.

8.) On selected tows (normally every third or fourth tow) a subsample of 24 scallops, chosen to represent the catch of scallops ≥ 3½ in. shell height, were measured (shell length, width and height) and shucked for meat weight determination. Meats were placed in a compartmentalized box in the order that the animals were measured and later individually weighed on shore (using an Ohaus Navigator™ balance interfaced with the ruggedized handheld computer) and matched to the corresponding shell measurements.

6 Data analysis

Area swept per tow was determined from tow distance (tow start to haulback) and drag width (7 ft., or 2.1 m). Tow distance was determined using Capn Voyager™ software. The scallop catch for each tow was standardized to density (number of scallops per square meter). Total scallop catch was divided into the following size categories:

“seed”: < 2½ in. (<63.5 mm) SH

“sublegal”: 2½ in. to < 4 in. (63.5 – <101.6 mm) SH

“harvestable”: ≥ 4 in. (≥101.6 mm) SH

Estimates of total abundance for each of the three size classes were calculated using the classic Cochran (1977) approach. For each of the six survey substrata identified above, the overall average abundance by area swept was estimated as:

 H  X  Wh X h h1

 where X h is the average abundance of swept area for substratum h, H is the total number of substrata, and Wh is proportion of the area of substratum h with respect to the survey area. The associated standard error can be calculated as

 H 2 1 fh 2 std error (X)  Wh Sh h1 nh

2 nh where Sh is the variance estimated for substratum h, fh  is the finite population Nh correction for substratum h, and nh and N are the number of stations sampled and the total number of stations available for sampling, respectively, in substratum h. The finite population correction factor was ignored since the proportion of area sampled was small compared to the total area of each substratum.

The shell height (distance from the umbo to the outer edge, perpendicular to the hinge line) of individual scallops was measured. Most often all scallops in the tow were measured although for larger (>100 scallops) catches at least 100 scallops or 10% of the total (whichever was greater) was measured. Subsamples of 24 meats from ≥ 3.5 in. scallops in selected tows were obtained to determine shell size vs. meat weight relationships. Detailed bycatch information was also taken.

Approximately 59,500 scallops were caught and counted, 7,760 were measured for shell height (SH) and an additional 482 were sampled for shell size-meat weight determination on the 2012 Cobscook Bay survey. The smallest individual sampled was 14.6 mm (0.58 in.) SH and the largest was 149.7 mm (5.89 in.) SH. The largest number of scallops in a single tow was 3,085 in South Bay.

7 During the 2013 Cobscook Bay survey approximately 36,100 scallops were caught and counted, 9,000 were measured for SH and an additional 630 were sampled for shell size- meat weight determination. The smallest individual sampled was 15.1 mm (0.6 in.) SH and the largest was 144.7 mm (5.7 in.) SH. The largest number of scallops in a single tow was 766 in Whiting Bay.

Findings

A.) 2012 Northern Gulf of Maine (federal waters) survey

Scallop demographics within the NGOM

The most heavily fished area within the NGOM is the southwestern part, within survey areas NCA and NSB. In the NCA area, most scallops were found north of Cape Ann near the state waters boundary in both 2009 and 2012 (Fig. 3A). In the NSB area there were some scallops at the northern boundary (especially in 2012) and in both years scallops were found on the northern part of Stellwagen Bank near the southern-central part of the NSB area (Fig. 3A). Both NCA and NSB had wide, multimodal shell height distributions in both years (Figs. 4A-B). NSB was noteworthy in 2012 because it had signs of recent recruitment as well as some of the largest scallops seen on the survey. In both years scallops were found on the southwest part of PB (Fig. 3B). The growth of the cohort first observed in 2009 was evident (Fig. 4C); the mode shell height grew from 32.5 mm in 2009 to 72.5 mm in 2012. In both years there was a small proportion of scallops that were between 125 and 150 mm.

The survey in MDR encountered almost no scallops in both years (Fig. 3C). There were scallops to the south of this area near Mount Desert Rock in both years, but this small region is within Maine state waters and not part of the NGOM. The scallops that were caught in 2009 were mainly less than 100 mm (Fig. 4D). In 2012 only a single scallop was caught in this area.

In the MSI area there was no obvious coherence between the spatial distribution of catch in the 2009 and 2012 surveys; scallops within this area appear from these surveys to be fairly evenly distributed relative to the patchiness observed in NCA and NSB to the south (Fig. 3D). The only persistent aggregation was near Machias Seal Island, again within state waters. Little signs of recruitment were seen in this region in either 2009 or 2012 and most scallops were between 110 and 150 mm (Fig. 4E).

Figure 3: Distribution of survey scallop catch (all sizes) in 2009 (left panels) and 2012 (right panels). A: NCA and NSB; B: PB; C: MDR; and D: MSI.

Figure 4: Shell height distribution in mm for each of the areas in 2009 and 2012. A: NCA; B: NSB; C: PB; D: MDR; E: MSI.

The relationship between shell height and meat weight varied by area, as in 2009 (Fig. 5). The best condition meats were in NSB and NCA, while the meats in MSI were clearly smaller for their size. Few samples of larger scallops were taken on PB, but those greater than 100 mm were of similarly poor condition to the scallops sampled in MSI.

Figure 5: Relationship between shell height and meat weight in 2012 for the survey areas (excluding MDR).

Biomass and exploitation rate estimates

Analysis of the surveys produced estimates indicating that the NGOM had overall harvestable biomass in 2009 and 2012 of 115.40 MT (90% confidence interval from 66.05 to 173.31) and 164.19 MT (74.35 to 278.91), respectively. The 2009 estimate was revised slightly since 2010 because of the new meat weight estimates for Platts Bank, a slightly different approach to the bootstrapping (previously a bootstrapping with replacement method was used along with bias corrected confidence intervals; see Truesdell et al. (2010), and the correction of an error that was found in the standardization of length frequencies. The original estimate given was 103 (53 to 186) MT (Truesdell et al. 2010). In addition, the assumed dredge efficiency in 2009 was 40%, but this was changed to 43.6%, which is based on a dredge efficiency study by Maine DMR.

Harvestable biomass was distributed disproportionally across the areas surveyed. In the eastern half of the NGOM, the MSI area was found to have consistently high biomass (Fig. 6), though the density of biomass was lower than in some regions of the western NGOM (Fig. 7). Further west and offshore, PB was estimated to contain 5.6 harvestable MT in 2009 and 2.1 MT in 2012. However, this assumes that none of the large year class on PB is yet available to fishing since these scallops are under the assumed harvestable size of 102 mm used in this study (Fig. 4C). Given the increased activity on Platts Bank evident in VMS data however, it is likely that some fishermen are targeting this year class though its biomass is not included in the calculations presented here.

Still further west in the two strata where most of the fishing currently occurs, NCA and NSB, the mean biomass available for harvest was 17.0 and 43.55 MT in 2009 and 55.6 and 67.2 MT in 2012. Despite their relatively small areas (Fig. 2), the high expected density strata within these regions supported considerable biomass of harvestable scallops in both survey years relative to the other areas surveyed (Fig. 6).

Figure 6. 2009 and 2012 harvestable biomass in NGOM survey strata (and substrata in the western region). H, M and L indicate expected high, medium and low density substrata.

Figure 7. 2009 and 2012 harvestable density (in biomass per km2) in NGOM survey strata (and substrata in the western region). H, M and L indicate expected high, medium and low density substrata.

These biomass estimates are dependent on some fixed parameters. Survey dredge efficiency was assumed to be 43.6%, which was determined experimentally in Maine waters. No uncertainty is attached to this estimate however. Gadamke et al. (2004) estimated the efficiency of a dredge with 89 mm rings to be 42.7%, with a potential range based on sensitivity analyses from 35.5 to 52.5%. The gear was different (this study used 51 mm rings), but the mean estimate was similar to the Maine study. The approximate sensitivity range from Gedamke et al. (2004) study was used as a sensitivity range for the 2012 biomass estimates presented here. If dredge efficiency is assumed to be 35% the 2012 estimate is 207.51 MT (with a 90% confidence interval ranging from 93.35 to 353.29; Table 3). If dredge efficiency is 50% the estimate is 143.14 MT (65.00 to 242.88). No uncertainty was considered for the shell height to meat weight relationships

12 or the length frequency distributions. These sources of uncertainty should be considered in subsequent analyses, though they are probably better estimated than sampling variability which is likely the main source of uncertainty and was quantified by bootstrapping.

Landings were low from 2008 to 2012, though increased notably in 2013 (Fig. 8). To determine the source of this change it would be necessary to examine vessel trip report data; however that information is not currently available to the authors. One possible reason for the higher landings is the increased fishing effort on PB as the year class first observed in 2009 may have become targeted by the fishery.

Figure 8. Landings history for the NGOM management area since its inception in 2008. Dashed line is the 31.75 MT quota.

The estimated exploitation rate during 2012 was 2.14% (90% confidence interval from 1.26% to 4.72%; Table 3), which is lower than the 6.1% (4.1% to 10.7%) estimated during 2009. The reduced exploitation rate was a function of both a decrease in landings (Figure 8) and the increase in estimated biomass from 115.40 MT in 2009 to 164.16 MT in 2012.

B.) 2012 Cobscook Bay survey

The 2012 Cobscook Bay survey was carried out in October (prior to the December 2 opening of the fishery) in state survey stratum 1 (Cobscook Bay). This survey covered the subareas of Whiting Bay/Dennys Bay, South Bay, East Bay, Pennamaquan River, Johnson Bay and Moose Island. In total 86 tows were completed, at a rate of 2 tows per km².

In 2012 Cobscook Bay had the highest amount of harvestable (> 4 in. shell height) meat biomass (434.7 + 31.0 thsd. lbs.) yet observed since the survey began in 2002 (Figs. 9- 12). Meat weight in relation to shell height was slightly greater than the previous survey (2010) of this area.

Harvestable biomass in Whiting Bay/Dennys Bay, which had been closed to fishing since 2009, increased from 45.6 thsd. lbs. (2010) to 83.0 thsd. lbs. (2012). Whiting Bay/Dennys Bay had the highest harvestable scallop density (0.386 per m2) ever observed on the Cobscook Bay survey (since 2002).

South Bay had the largest proportion (65%) of harvestable biomass in Cobscook Bay in 2012, as well as the highest density (1.023 per m²) of sublegals. Harvestable density (0.192 per m²) was the highest yet seen for this substratum.

Figure 9. Size frequency (5 mm increments) of scallops in Cobscook Bay, 2012.

Figure 10. Size frequency (5 mm increments) of scallops in Whiting Bay/Dennys Bay, 2012.

Figure 11. Scallop meat weight (MW) as a function of shell height (SH) for Cobscook Bay, 2012.

Figure 12. Biomass (meat weight, with standard error) of harvestable (legal-size) scallops in Cobscook Bay, 2003-12.

C.) 2013 spring survey (eastern Maine)

A survey was carried out in April 2013 between Cutler shore and Vinalhaven Is., including intensive sampling of the seven (7) limited access areas (LAAs) within survey strata 2-7 along with all adjacent open areas. A total of 179 tows were completed with 114 tows allocated to LAAs.

Machias Bay LAA realized an increase in harvestable (>4 in. shell height) scallop biomass of 33% between fall 2011 and fall 2013 (projected) (Figs. 13-14). Density of harvestable scallops within the Machias Bay LAA was over 2X higher than the adjacent open area. . Chandler Bay LAA harvestable scallop abundance declined 58% since 2011. Moosabec Reach LAA realized an over 2X increase in harvestable abundance since 2011. Seed were also observed in this area.

Harvestable biomass within Gouldsboro Bay declined over 40% from the 2011 estimate and over 60% from the 2012 estimate (Figs. 15-16). Only 37 scallops were caught in 20 tows in Mt. Desert LAA.

E. Penobscot Bay LAA harvestable scallop abundance declined 76% since 2011. Blue Hill LAA had a 96% decline in harvestable density between fall 2011 and fall 2013 (projected) and appeared to suffer a significant loss in biomass prior to opening to fishing in December 2012.

16 Seed were observed near Cutler at the highest level of the survey time series (2002-13) and were also noted in Stratum 6 on the W side of Vinalhaven. Sublegals were predominant in Chandler Bay (open portion). Union River Bay, which had been fished heavily in 2012-13, produced only 102 scallops in 13 tows.

Figure 13. Size frequency (5 mm increments) of scallops in Machias Bay LAA, 2013.

Figure 14. Estimated mean harvestable scallop biomass (meat lbs.), Machias Bay LAA, 2011-13.

Figure 15. Size frequency (5 mm increments) of scallops in Gouldsboro Bay LAA, 2013.

Figure 16. Estimated mean harvestable scallop biomass (meat lbs.), Gouldsboro Bay LAA, 2008-13.

D.) 2013 Cobscook Bay survey

The 2013 Cobscook Bay survey was carried out in October (prior to the December 2 opening of the fishery) in survey strata 1 (Cobscook Bay) and 1a (St. Croix River). This survey covered the subareas of Whiting Bay/Dennys Bay, South Bay, East Bay, Pennamaquan River, Johnson Bay and Moose Island. In total 91 tows were completed, at a rate of 2 tows per km² in Cobscook Bay.

In 2013 Cobscook Bay had the second highest amount of harvestable (> 4 in. shell height) meat biomass (452,200 + 27,200 lbs.) observed since the survey began in 2002 (Figs. 17-20). Meat weight in relation to shell height was slightly greater than the previous survey (2012) of Cobscook Bay and the highest since 2002-03.

Harvestable biomass in the Whiting Bay/Dennys Bay limited access area decreased 13% between 2012 and 2013 but was still the second highest of the time series. Whiting Bay/Dennys Bay had the highest density (0.331 per m²) of harvestable scallops in Cobscook Bay in 2013.

South Bay had the largest proportion (53%) of harvestable biomass in Cobscook Bay in 2013. Harvestable density decreased in South Bay in 2013 but was still the second highest of the time series.

Highest densities of both seed (0.101 per m²) and sublegals (0.333 per m²) were in Johnson Bay. Scallop abundance was variable within the St. Croix River. There was a low abundance of harvestable scallops. One tow had a large presence of sublegal scallops.

Figure 17. Size frequency (5 mm increments) of scallops in Cobscook Bay, 2012 and 2013.

Figure 18. Size frequency (5 mm increments) of scallops in Whiting Bay/Dennys Bay, 2013.

Figure 19 . Scallop meat weight (MW) as a function of shell height (SH) for Cobscook Bay, 2013.

Figure 20. Biomass (meat weight, with standard error) of harvestable (legal-size) scallops in Cobscook Bay, 2003-13.

21 E.) 2014 spring survey (eastern Maine)

A survey was carried out in April 2014 in management zone 2 (eastern Maine coast between W. Quoddy Head and upper Penobscot Bay). The survey was directed into the seven (7) rotational areas scheduled to be open to fishing in the 2014-15 season. A total of 139 tows were completed on the survey.

Aside from Bold Coast and Little Kennebec/Englishman Bay there was very little sign of recruitment (seed and sublegals). Only 38 scallops were caught in 18 tows in the Upper Penobscot Bay rotational area.

Figure 21. Density of scallops and size class composition by tow (Little Kennebec/Englishman Bay), 2014 survey.

Figure 22. Size frequency (5 mm increments) of scallops in Little Kennebec/Englishman Bay rotational closure (2014).

23 Conclusions

Northern Gulf of Maine (federal waters)

Scallops in the NGOM represent a small but locally important fishery. Landings have been low since the inception of the NGOM management area, though they more than doubled in 2013. The best estimates from 2009 and 2012 indicate that scallop biomass increased by about 40% over that period. The exploitation rate in weight (landings/stock harvestable biomass) during 2009 was 6.1% with a 90% confidence interval from 4.1% to 10.7%, and during 2012 was 2.1% (1.3% to 4.7%). Given the region’s low biomass relative to the rest of the stock along with its intermittent recruitment in eastern areas, it is probably not necessary to survey the NGOM every year. However, periodic surveys that provide point biomass estimates are likely to be helpful to managers for determining a TAC.

State waters

Cobscook Bay had time-series high levels of scallop production in 2012. Strong recruitment into the legal size range, historically high sublegal abundance in South Bay and higher than average meat weight were all observed in the 2012 survey. It is possible that reduced fishing effort was a contributing factor since the Cobscook Bay scallop season was abbreviated during 2011-12. (On 2 January 2012 ME DMR responded to reports by the fishing community of “small catches, small meats, and large quantities of sublegal scallops sustaining damage as a result of fishing pressure” by closing a large portion of the area, including South Bay, after only 11 days of fishing). This action may have allowed a larger portion of sublegal scallops to recruit to harvestable size by the time of the 2012 survey.

Whiting/Dennys Bay appeared to have additional benefits from being closed for two (2) more years following the 2010 survey. Density of harvestable scallops was nearly 2X greater than 2010. Harvestable biomass in this area increased by a factor of 10.2 over the three year closure.

Cobscook Bay continued to have time-series high levels of scallop production in 2013. High recruitment into the legal size range and higher than average meat weight were all observed in the 2013 survey. A record-high proportion (40%) of the scallop resource of Cobscook Bay was just below (within 16 mm SH) harvestable size and 22% was at or above (within 9 mm) legal size. Harvestable biomass was the second-highest ever observed on the survey.

Whiting/Dennys Bay continued to have significantly higher harvestable biomass than prior to the 2009 fishing closure (re-opened as a limited access area in 2012). This area had the highest density of harvestable scallops of the 2013 survey. Harvestable biomass was the second-highest of the time series and this area represented 16% of the overall legal-sized scallop resource of Cobscook Bay.

The St. Croix River had a relatively poor abundance of scallops, particularly seed and harvestables. A high amount of sublegals were observed at one location near St. Croix Is., following a high abundance of seed in 2012.

24 There were seven (7) limited access areas (LAAs) surveyed in spring 2013 following their first season of fishing since 2009. Of the larger (containing the most harvestable biomass) ones, only Machias Bay did not appear depleted. In fact there was a higher amount of harvestable biomass projected for this area for the 2013-14 season than for the 2012-13 season, reflecting strong growth and recruitment of scallops and less fishing pressure than some of the other areas.

Gouldsboro Bay harvestable biomass was largely depleted and Blue Hill did not produce the expected amount of scallops in the 2012-13 season. Only a limited amount of harvest was recommended to managers for Gouldsboro Bay for 2013-14.

The survey did not indicate strong recruitment in either Blue Hill or Gouldsboro Bay for future years. This was similar to the 2011 survey of these areas. The Union River Bay area also appeared depleted with no evidence of recruitment.

The survey did show signs of recruitment in some eastern ME areas, namely near Cutler, in the open portion of Chandler Bay, Moosabec Reach LAA and on the western side of Vinalhaven. The survey highlighted that over the large area of management Zone 2 the areas that are supporting much of the commercial fishing are limited.

There were seven (7) scallop rotational areas surveyed by ME DMR in spring 2014 prior to these areas being re-opened to fishing for the 2014-15 season (these areas were closed after the 2011- 12 season). Harvestable abundance was highest in the Bold Coast and Little Kennebec/Englishman Bay areas. The other five (5) areas were poor however with only scattered areas of harvestable and/or sublegal/seed scallops.

Harvestable scallop density was greatest in the Bold Coast area. Density of harvestable scallops increased by nearly 2.5X in this area since 2011.

The highest estimate of harvestable biomass was in Little Kennebec/Englishman Bay (the larger of the two areas). Harvestable density increased nearly 3X in this area since 2011.

Little Kennebec/Englishman Bay and Bold Coast in 2014 continued the positive trend in scallop abundance seen in survey strata 2-3 (W. Quoddy Head to Great Wass Is.) since 2011. Increases in recruitment along with implementation of rotational management designed to improve yield seem to have significantly benefited this portion of the coast.

Evaluation

The primary objective of the project, to continue development of a survey program to assess scallop distribution and abundance in federal NGOM waters and to estimate a biologically sustainable total allowable catch (TAC) for the stock, was accomplished. The 2012 NGOM survey built upon the foundation for long term monitoring established in 2009.

The project was also successful in continuing DMR’s efforts to monitor and assess the state waters portion of the NGOM resource in 2012-2014. This information will be important in

25 monitoring the status of the nearshore resource and evaluating effects of such measures as rotational management and trigger mechanisms to enact in-season closures.

Dissemination of project results

Results of this project were presented at the following venues: Invertebrate Subcommittee (Sea Scallop Assessment), Northeast Fisheries Science Center, Woods Hole, MA, March 2014 (results of NGOM federal waters survey)

New England Fishery Management Council Scallop Plan Development Team, various meetings, 2012-14 (results of federal waters survey and development of TAC options for NGOM, assessment results from ME state waters)

Maine DMR Scallop Advisory Council, various meetings, 2012-14

Maine Fishermen’s Forum, 2014

School of Marine Sciences, University of Maine, Orono, ME, Annual Symposium, 2013

Results were also presented in the following documents:

59th Northeast Regional Stock Assessment Workshop (59th SAW). Northeast Fisheries Science Center Reference Document 14-07, August 2014, 44 p.

Truesdell, S.B. 2014. Distribution, population dynamics and stock assessment for the Atlantic sea scallop (Placopecten magellanicus) in the northeast US. PhD dissertation, University of Maine, 163 p.

Truesdell, S.B., K.H. Kelly and Y. Chen. 2013. Development of a two-stage survey program for assessment of Gulf of Maine sea scallops. in prep. Kelly, K.H. 2013. Results from the 2012 Cobscook Bay Sea Scallop Survey. ME DMR Research Reference Document, 31 p.

Kelly, K.H. 2014. Results from the Spring 2013 Maine Sea Scallop Survey. ME DMR Research Reference Document, 47 p.

Kelly, K.H. 2014. Results from the 2013 Cobscook Bay Sea Scallop Survey. ME DMR Research Reference Document, 33 p.

Kelly, K.H. 2014. Results from the Spring 2014 Maine Sea Scallop Survey. ME DMR Research Reference Document, 28 p.

Expenditures

The RSA TAC allocation to the project was 77,135 lbs. from any open area or open access area. The amount expected for research from this allocation was $235,726 based on the proposed budget (Table 1). Due to scallop price changes during the course of RSA TAC harvesting, however, an extra $69,130 was accumulated in the research budget and permission was granted by NMFS to expend these funds within the project.

Major expenditure categories during 2012-14 were 1.) vessel services (NGOM federal waters survey and 2012, 2013 and 2014 state waters surveys), 2.) support for a University of Maine graduate student, 4.) travel by survey personnel, 5.) travel to meetings to present project results, and 6.) field gear and supplies.

All project funds were expended to complete the project (Table 1).

27 Table 1. Final project accounting record for NMFS award NA11NMF4540019.

FY11 RSA Assessment of Sea Scallop Distribution & Abundance in Federal & Adjacent State Waters of the Gulf of Maine 013-13A-4312-30 NA11NMF4540019 March 1, 2011 thru June 30, 2013, extended thru March 31, 2015 Principal Investigator: Kevin Kelly, Carl Wilson

FFATA Reporting is NOT Required on this Award

FEDERAL GRANT EXPENDITURES from 03/01/2011 through 03/31/15

Personal Services Actual Encumbered Budget Available Thru Period Ending: 3/31/2015 32 Salaries and Wages 0.00 N/A 33 Seasonal 0.00 N/A 34 Project 0.00 N/A 36 Overtime 0.00 N/A 39 Fringe Benefits 0.00 N/A 29 Prior Year Adjustment 0.00 N/A TOTAL 0.00 0.00 0.00

All Other Thru Period Ending: 3/31/2015 40 Prof Services Not By State 7,205.52 0.00 19,356.00 41 Prof Services By State 0.00 0.00 42 Travel Expenses In State 6,034.00 0.00 6,370.00 43 Travel Expenses Out Of State 0.00 0.00 44 State Vehicles Operation 0.00 0.00 45 Utility Services 0.00 0.00 46 Rents 1,605.94 0.00 47 Repairs 800.00 0.00 48 Insurance 0.00 0.00 49 General Operations 7,227.24 0.00 50 Books 0.00 0.00 51 Misc Foodstuff 0.00 0.00 52 L.P.Gas 0.00 0.00 53 Telephone/Cellular 409.45 0.00 54 Clothing 159.91 0.00 55 Equipment 0.00 0.00 56 Other Supplies & Minor Equipment 11,023.73 0.00 4,800.00 58 Highway Materials 0.00 0.00 64 Grants 262,743.00 0.00 266,697.74 29 Prior Year Adjustment (776.00) 0.00 TOTAL 296,432.79 0.00 297,223.74 790.95 Capital Equipment Thru Period Ending: 3/31/2015 72 Equipment 0.00 0.00 0.00 TOTAL 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

Direct Expenses 296,432.79 0.00 297,223.74 790.95

Administrative 25.00% Indirect Costs 8,422.45 0.00 7,631.50 (790.95) 8511 Less STACAP 802.44 DICAP (2978/2979) 7,620.01

Total Federal Expenditures 304,855.24 0.00 304,855.24 0.00

60% Vessel 0.00 0.00 457,282.86 60% Value of Scallop Sales that will be kept by Vessel Owners

Total Project Expenditures 304,855.24 0.00 762,138.10 For 77,135 Pounds of Scallops -60% Vessels & 40% DMR

Encumbrances:

Date Contract# Vendor Amount Enc. Payments Balance Status Contract Ends 4/4/2012 CT 20120329*4063 WALLACE GRAY 77,000.00 77,000.00 0.00 64 Closed 4/15/2013 4/25/2012 CT 20120419*4327 PROJECT STAFFING INC 10,870.50 10,870.50 0.00 40 Closed 12/31/2012 5/29/2012 CT 20120420*4390 UNIV OF ME SYS 111,372.15 111,372.15 0.00 64 Closed 12/31/2014 10/10/2012 CT 20120829*0951 MICHAEL GRIFFIN 18,900.00 18,900.00 0.00 64 Closed 12/31/2012 3/12/2013 CT 20130214*2881 BRUCE W PORTER 24,750.00 24,750.00 0.00 64 Closed 6/30/2013 3/12/2013 CT 20130214*2882 MICHAEL GRIFFIN 27,500.00 27,500.00 0.00 64 Closed 6/30/2013 3/14/2013 CT 20130311*3072 TRI-STATE STAFFING, INC 3,978.00 3,978.00 0.00 40 Closed 12/31/2013 8/27/2013 CT 20130808*0673 MICHAEL GRIFFIN 23,625.00 23,625.00 0.00 64 Closed 12/31/2013 11/7/2013 CT 20131029*1728 SAMUEL B TRUESDELL 2,450.00 2,450.00 0.00 40 Closed 10/27/2013 3/11/2014 CT 20140224*2779 BRUCE W PORTER 30,250.00 30,250.00 0.00 64 Closed 6/30/2014 330,695.65 0.00

This portion of the CT's will not be encumbered 6400 Research CT's Scallop Harvesting CT's Total University of Maine & student 72718 0 Gary Hatch - FV Shearwater 0 117863 CT 20110708*0076 7/1/11-3/31/12 F/V Foxy Lady II 105950 117863 CT 20110630*6857 Wallace Gray 6/13/11 to 3/31/12 F/V Kristin Lee 18900 197568 235,726.00 433,294.00 Wallace Gray & Michael Griffen

28 References

Cochran, W.G. 1977. Sampling techniques, 3rd ed. John Wiley & Sons, New York. 428 p.

Francis, R. I. C. C. 1984. An adaptive strategy for stratified random trawl surveys. New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 18:59-71.

Gedamke, T., DuPaul, W.D., and Hoenig, J.M. 2004. A Spatially Explicit Open-Ocean DeLury Analysis to Estimate Gear Efficiency in the Dredge Fishery for Sea Scallop Placopecten magellanicus. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 24: 335–351.

Kelley, J.T., W.A. Barnhardt, D.F. Belknap, S.M. Dickson and A.R. Kelley. 1998. The seafloor revealed: the geology of the northwestern Gulf of Maine inner continental shelf. Open-File 96-6 Maine Geological Survey Natural Resources Information and Mapping Center.

Kelly, K.H. 2009. Results from the 2008 Maine sea scallop survey. Maine Department of Marine Resources, Research Reference Document, 21 p.

Robert, G., and Jamieson, G.S. 1986. Commercial fishery data isopleths and their use in offshore sea scallop (Placopecten magellanicus) stock evaluations. In Proceedings of the North Pacific Workshop on Stock Assessment and Management of Invertebrates. Can. Spec. Publ. Fish. Aquat. Sci. pp. 76–82.

Schick, D.F. and S.C. Feindel. 2005. Maine scallop fishery: monitoring and enhancement. Final Report to the Northeast Consortium (Sept. 1, 2005), 72 p.

Serchuk, F. M. 1983. Results of the 1983 USA Sea Scallop research survey: distribution and abundance of Sea Scallops in the Georges Bank, Mid-Atlantic and Gulf of Maine Regions and biological characteristics of Iceland Scallops off the coast of Massachusetts. Northeast Fish. Cent., Woods Hole Lab. Ref. Doc. 83-37.

Serchuk, F., and S. Wigley. 1984. Results of the 1984 USA sea scallop research vessel survey: status of sea scallop resources in the Georges Bank, Mid-Atlantic and Gulf of Maine regions and abundance and distribution of Iceland scallops off the southeastern coast of Cape Cod. U.S. Natl. Mar. Fish. Serv. Northeast Fish. Cent. Woods Hole Lab. Ref. Doc. 83-84. 74 p.

Serchuk, F.M., and Wigley, S.E. 1986. Evaluation of USA and Canadian Research Vessel Surveys for Sea Scallops (Placopecten magellanicus) on Georges Bank. Journal of Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Science. 7: 1–13.

Spencer, F. 1974. Final report: offshore scallop survey - Cape Ann, Massachusetts to Maine- Canadian border. Maine Department of Marine Resources. 16p.

29 Truesdell, S.B., K.H. Kelly, C.E. O’Keefe and Y. Chen. 2010. An assessment of the sea scallop resource in the Northern Gulf of Maine management area. Report to the 50th Stock Assessment Working Group, NMFS/NEFSC, Woods Hole, MA, 26 p.