Argopecten irradians


Argopecten irradians, formerly classified as Aequipecten irradians, common names Atlantic bay scallop or bay scallop, is a marine bivalve mollusk in the family Pectinidae, a species of scallop. An edible saltwater clam, it is native to the northwest Atlantic from Cape Cod to the Gulf of Mexico.

Description

Bay scallop fishery

This species of scallop used to support a large wild fishery on the East Coast of the United States, but since the 1950s it has decreased greatly. This is apparently the result of several negative influences, one of which is a reduction in sea grasses due to increased coastal development and concomitant nutrient runoff. Another possible factor is reduction of sharks from overfishing, a variety of which used to feed on ray species that are a main predator of bay scallops.
By contrast, the Atlantic sea scallop is at historically high levels of abundance, after recovery from overfishing.
Scallops aquaculture is currently being practiced in Florida They were introduced into China for the 1980s and are the basis of a vibrant aquaculture industry in that country. and attempted elsewhere.

Subspecies

This species has five different subspecies: