Bay scallops ARE NOT the same species as sea scallops.Females can release a few million eggs in one season. Like other bivalves, bay scallops spawn in warmer months.An adult scallop is defined by its "growth line," a thickened edge of shell that forms when the scallop starts to grow again during the spring.An adult northern scallop averages 2.4" in length, 2.5" in width, and weighs in around 11 grams. They reach full size by the next fall.Bay scallops live for 18-30 months - there are only two generations alive at any time.Most bay scallop fisheries are now out of Massachusetts, namely Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket, due to the larger habitats of eelgrass that support scallop spawning and provide protection from predators. There are two types of bay scallops in eastern North America: the northern bay scallop (Argopecten irradians irradians), found along the coasts of Massachusetts through Long Island, New York and the southern bay scallop (Argopecten irradians concentricus), found in New Jersey through North Carolina.
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