Gulf County, Fla. -
Scallop season is fast approaching and before you know it, boats filled with families will leave their slips on a daily basis. The season will open up on July 1st and close on September 2nd.
But there's a good chance, Fish and Wildlife Commissioners will extend it.
Captain Clint Moore says the bay undergoes a transformation while scallops are in season, bringing in kids and their families from near and far to get in on the action.
"Kids love to do it, I mean; it's just so much fun." Moore says.
Each spring, biologists assess bay scallop populations, surveying 10 to 20 stations. This year, they found an average of 11 scallops at each station.
"That is down significantly, from last year when it was somewhere on the order of 154- 155 scallops per survey. But what we're seeing is that every four years roughly, we'll have a real drop in scallop numbers." Stan Kirkland, Florida Fish & Wildlife Spokesman says.
Moore did his own research and anticipates that people won't have any problem reaching their limit; it might just take a little longer this year.
The season starts on July 1st, experts that have been doing this for years say that if you wait a little longer towards the end of the season, you'll find bigger scallops.
"At the beginning of the season, they tend to be a little bit smaller, toward the end of the season, they get a little larger, plus there are fewer people out there so you kind of got more of the bay to yourself." Kirkland says.
All content © Copyright 2000 - 2013 WorldNow and WMBB. All Rights Reserved. For more information on this site, please read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.
