MEPS prepress abstract   -  DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/meps14688

ABSTRACT: The Atlantic sea scallop, Placopecten magellanicus, supports one of the most valuable federal fisheries in the United States, with annual ex-vessel values of $400–600 million since 2010. Among other strategies, the fishery utilizes rotational area management to protect juvenile sea scallops, increasing yield-per-recruit and spawning potential. While generally successful, area management was challenged by two extremely high-density recruitment events. Juveniles at both sites, the Nantucket Lightship Closed Area and the Elephant Trunk portion of the Mid-Atlantic Access Area, persisted at high densities (up to 39 sea scallops m^-2 and 5 sea scallops m^-2, respectively) and initially exhibited poor growth, yield, and gamete production. The effect of sea scallop population density on reproduction was investigated through quarterly sampling from May 2018 through January 2020 in low, medium, and high-density strata. Reproductive effort, the proportion of energy devoted to gamete production, was quantified to investigate differences in energy allocation across density, depth, shell height, reproductive stage, and sex. Reproductive activity was limited in the Nantucket Lightship high-density stratum, where the percentage of sea scallops staged as mature or spawning reached 50% during only one of the 7 sampling trips, compared to 4–6 sampling trips in other strata. Population density was a significant predictor of reproductive effort, with a 28% reduction in reproductive effort from the highest densities to more typical densities. These results illustrate the complexities of managing fisheries for heterogenous populations of sessile benthic invertebrates. Negative density-dependent effects should be monitored and accounted for in future extreme recruitment events.