Scalloping Season in Florida

By Joy Coleman

Summertime is Florida’s scallop season! If you’re a lover of the gulf and the outdoors, then add scalloping to your bucket list. Steinhatchee, Homosassa and Crystal River are regional hotbeds for scallops. In these Gulf of Mexico communities, scallop season runs from June to early fall, when the gulf’s warmer water temperature and the season’s best eats meet. Check for the speci c dates per location as they do change from year to year.

Scalloping is almost like shing, but think more of hand grabbing scallop shells instead. There are some places where you can wade out from public beaches to scallop, but most scallop collecting happens from a boat. If you don’t have a boat, nd a friend with one or join a tour boat for your rst experience. In the popular scalloping areas, there are many tour boats, or you can hire a personal boat captain to show you the ropes and provide your equipment. The captain will take you directly to the best scalloping spots. When renting a boat or going by yourself, the di erence is not knowing where to nd the prime scalloping areas. Finding them can require moving around several times, which takes more time.

Equipment Essentials:

• Drawstring Mesh Bag—small, mesh with a drawstring, and lightweight to hold scallops while snorkeling • Snorkel Set—a mask and snorkel • Dive Flag—you MUST have a dive ag. It is required by law and will keep you and your party safe. It alerts other boaters that someone is right here in the water so they are required to slow down and stay away. • Mineral Sunscreen—always wear a good mineral sunscreen. • Cooler—keep a cooler on board the boat designated to keep your scallops cold. Fill the cooler with water to keep them alive until you get to shore; add ice to get them home safely.

Other Items That Might Become

Handy: a big sun hat, swim shoes, dip net, gloves, ippers, a oating device (i.g. a noodle), and something for shade.

The shoes help if you don’t like feeling sea grass on your toes. The dip net helps you grab a swimming scallop. The gloves work because a scallop can close on your nger, and it isn’t comfortable.

Where & How Do We Scallop When We Find The Spot?

Scallops hang out in shallow sea grass beds. Some areas are less than 7 to 9 feet deep and adults can stand up in some spots. In other areas, the sea grass beds are a little deeper, closer to 10 feet in depth. Anchor the boat near other scallopers so you know you’re in the right area; just don’t get too close to someone’s space. Bay scallops are masters of camou age. It takes a keen eye and steady hand to locate these critters in the thick grass beds. It’s easy to miss them. You may see little beady blue eyes looking up at you. Once you nd them for the rst time, you’ll know exactly what to hunt. Spot one and get ready for the chase because these mollusks can swim. By squeezing their shells together, scallops expel a jet of water that rockets them across grass beds.

Gather by hand—Scallops can only be harvested by hand or with a landing or dip net. Some scallops can be seen from the boat, while others are hiding a little deeper in the sea grass. Once you grab a scallop, slip it into your mesh bag and keep hunting. Repeat again and again!

Scalloping Season for Florida: AREAS & DATES

The 2022 recreational bay scallop season for Pasco County opens Friday, July 17, and will remain open through Sunday, July 26. This region includes all state waters south of the HernandoPasco County line and north of the Anclote Key Lighthouse in northern Pinellas County and includes all waters of the Anclote River.

St. Joseph Bay/Gulf County: August 16 through September 24. This region includes all state waters from the Mexico Beach Canal in Bay County to the westernmost point of St. Vincent Island in Franklin County. Franklin County through northwestern Taylor County (including Carrabelle, Lanark, and St. Marks): July 1 through September 24. This region includes all state waters from the westernmost point of St. Vincent Island in Franklin County to the mouth of the Fenholloway River in Taylor County.

The remaining portion of Taylor County and all of Dixie County (including Keaton Beach and the Steinhatchee area): June 15 through Labor Day. This region includes all state waters east of Rock Island near the mouth of the Fenholloway River in Taylor County and north of Alligator Pass day beacon number 4 near the mouth of the Suwannee River in Levy County.

Levy, Citrus, and Hernando Counties (including Cedar Key, Crystal River, and Homosassa): July 1 through September 24. This region includes all state waters from the mouth of the Suwannee River in Levy County to the Hernando-Pasco County line.

Limits and License: There is a scallop limit and you want a license unless you’re on a commercial boat.

The daily bag limits are two gallons of whole bay scallops in the shell or 1 pint of shucked bay scallop meat per person, with a maximum of 10 gallons of whole bay scallops in the shell or 1/2 gallon (4 pints) shucked bay scallop meat per vessel. Throughout the season and region-wide, vessel limits do not allow an individual to exceed their personal bag limit.

Cooking and Eating: The best part! Bay scallops are delicious! They are much smaller than sea scallops, so you’ll need a lot of them—but no more than your daily bag and vessel limit allows.

There are options for cleaning and cooking your scallops. To do the shucking yourself, watch a few YouTube videos and, with some practice, you’ll develop your own system. If you don’t want to hassle with cleaning them, most marinas have someone nearby that will shuck and bag them for you at a reasonable price. Even better, look a little further and you’ll nd a restaurant that will cook the meal for you.

Cooking them yourself? Simply sauté or sear them in butter, garlic, and white wine for a few minutes. There are so many recipes available, but the classic sauté with bread, wine, and salad is a favorite.

What’s more fun than spending the day on the water with good friends? Stay as long as you like but be sure to pack plenty of water—the Florida sun can be brutal.

More information regarding scalloping regulations can be found on the Florida Fish and Wildlife site: https://myfwc.com/fi shing/ saltwater/recreational/bay-scallops/ Did you know…

• The age of scallops can be determined by counting their annuli on their shells. • The blue eyes of a scallop have photoreceptors, and they can regenerate. Scallop eyes are highly sensitive. Scallops have around 200 eyes that are arranged along their mantle edge. • Scallops do not have brains, just nervous systems. • Scallops have had symbolic value since ancient times. • Mussels, clams and oysters are other varieties of bivalves. • Live scallops are eaten as seafood and are considered more delicious than cooked or seared scallops. They are a seafood delicacy. • Scallop season is conducted each year in Florida for recreational scalloping.