DEVELOPMENTS IN THE COMMERCIALIZATION OF PURPLE-HINGE ROCK SCALLOP AQUACULTURE (Crassadoma giganteus)  

Development of aquaculture for rock scallops on the US west coast is progressing with growth, survivorship and size/age to first cementation trials underway in Washington State. Scallop seed was produced from larvae at the Taylor Shellfish Farms hatchery in Quilcene, WA in 2014 and distributed to seven grow-out sites in summer 2015 when seed was approximately 30mm in shell length, the size that rock scallops tend to show first cementation behavior in Puget Sound populations.  Scallop juveniles were distributed in polyethylene mesh cages and suspended at a depth of 3-5 m in seven locations including Dabob Bay, Port Townsend Bay, Port Gamble Bay, Drayton Harbor, Main Basin Puget Sound (Agate Passage and Clam Bay) and Totten Inlet.  Survivorship was high at all locations and evidence of cementation very sparse as of late summer, 2015 at a number of the study sites.

A second study is investigating growth rate, survivorship and size at reproductive maturity in scallops physically glued to PVC plate substrates in groups of 96 individuals. Locations for this study include Totten Inlet (southern Puget Sound), Hood Canal (Dabob Bay) and Sequim Bay on the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

Purple-hinge rock scallop aquaculture is receiving significant interest on the US west coast as a new species for shellfish aquaculture. This scallop grows rapidly

over the first 3-4 years and produces highly prized adductor muscles for sushi markets. Progress to date on a multi-year project will include information on growth, survivorship in this species for a variety of Washington State locations already utilized for shellfish aquaculture.