EFFECTIVENESS OF LARGE SCALE LARVAL SEEDING AND PARENTAGE ANALYSIS FOR BAY SCALLOP Argopecten irridians RESTORATION IN CHARLOTTE HARBOR, FLORIDA

The bay scallop Argopecten irridians is a filter feeding bivalve that lives in seagrass beds and has cultural significance for generations of Floridians. Bay scallop population levels can also be indicative of water quality.  Florida's bay scallops once supported a statewide commercial fishery. However, populations declined due to various factors.  In 1994, commercial harvest was prohibited and recreational harvest was severely restricted. In the late 1990s researchers placed cultured scallops in benthic cages to form large spawning aggregations in Crystal River/Homosassa, Anclote Estuary, and Tampa Bay. By 2002, these restoration efforts had contributed to increased scallop populations, recreational harvest area expansion, and a lengthened season. Restoration efforts are ongoing in many locations. In Charlotte County, bay scallop restoration work has been conducted for the last 4 years by Florida Sea Grant, local government, and the West Coast Inland Navigation District.  Aquaculture was used for larval seeding, juvenile production and release, and dock caging of spawning aggregations. These restoration efforts are increasing, and the current project is examining the effectiveness of large scale larval seeding as a restoration method in Charlotte Harbor. Part of this effort is the development of a method for parentage analysis to document restoration success and genetic diversity of cultured scallop larvae.