Species and Habitat Outlines

Rock Scallop
TAXONOMY

Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Bivalvia
Order: Ostreoida
Family: Pectinidae

 

ECOLOGICAL DATA

Distribution: scattered along coast and occurs in low abundance.

Habitat: firmly attached to rocky shores; planktonic larvae dispersed by currents; juveniles attach to rock, usually in crevices and remain for life.

Tidal elevation: lowest intertidal to 80 m subtidal depth; rarely intertidal.

Food: suspension feeder; mainly phytoplankton, detritus and zooplankton.

Predators: sea stars and shell borers.

GROWTH RATE

Fairly rapid growth; maximum size is 250 mm.

FISHERY

No commercial fishery due to low abundance and difficulty in harvesting; sport fishery by divers; limit of 6 per person per day south of Cape Caution and 12 per person per day north of Cape Caution.

REFERENCES

Bernard, F.R. 1983. Catalogue of the living bivalvia of the eastern Pacific Ocean: Bering Strait to Cape Horn. Can. Spec. Publ. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 61: 25.

Bourne, N. 1984. Scallop size limits, p. 67-71. In G.S. Jamieson [ed.] 1982 shellfish management advice, Pacific Region. Can. MS Rep. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 1774.

Bourne, N. 1986. Scallops, p. 40-44. In G.S. Jamieson [ed.] Invertebrate and marine plant fishery resources of British Columbia. Can. Spec. Publ. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 91.

Bourne, N. 1986. Bivalve fisheries: their exploitation and management with particular reference to the northeast Pacific region, p. 2-13. In G.S. Jamieson and N. Bourne [ed.] North Pacific Workshop on stock assessment and management on invertebrates. Can. Spec. Publ. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 92.

Hodgson, C.A., N. Bourne, and D. Mottershead. 1988. A selected bibliography of scallop literature. Can. MS Rep. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 1965: 133 p.

Kozloff, E.N. 1983. Seashore life of the northern Pacific coast. Douglas and McIntyre, Vancouver: 187-189.

Mottet, M.G. 1979. A review of the fishery biology and culture of scallops. Wash. Dep. Fish. Tech. Rep. 39: 100 p.

Quayle, D.B. 1978. The intertidal bivalves of British Columbia. B.C. Prov. Mus. Handb. 17: 29-30.

 

For more information on rock scallop habitat utilization and life cycles - click here

Return to Species Index