Call to report tagged scallops

The scallop season opens today around most of the country and National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (Niwa) scientists are asking scallopers to return tagged scallops to help them monitor growth and productivity - and possibly win prizes.

"Figuring out how fast scallops grow in the different fishery areas will improve our understanding of scallop productivity and ultimately help us sustain a great fishery," said Niwa fisheries ecologist James Williams.

More than 9000 scallops were tagged earlier this year in Northland, Coromandel, where the season starts on September 1, and the top of the South Island: Golden Bay, Tasman Bay, and Marlborough Sounds.

"We think that scallop growth varies from place to place, so different scallop beds probably contribute differently to stock productivity," Dr Williams said.

The Ministry of Fisheries has agreed that fishery officers will not take action against fishers who land tagged scallops that are either undersized or in excess of the legal daily limit.

On catching a tagged scallop, scallopers were asked to keep it in the freezer and phone 0800 RING NIWA (0800-746-464). They were also asked to note the individual scallop tag number and tag colour, when and where it was caught with GPS coordinates, and the shell length.

Niwa said those reporting tagged scallops would go into a prize draw to win a new catchbag, or a Shimano rod and reel set valued at over $320.

- NZPA