Scallop Harvest Season Gets Underway In Pasco Despite Red Tide

PASCO COUNTY, FL — The 10-day bay recreational scallop harvesting season opens Friday in Pasco County, and fans of this popular pastime say red tide in Tampa Bay won't prevent them from participating in this once-a-year opportunity.

Running from July 16 to 25, Pasco County is the only area in Tampa Bay where the Florida Fish and Conservation Commission permits scallops to be legally harvested. The harvesting boundaries run from the Hernando-Pasco County line to north of the Anclote Key Lighthouse in northern Pinellas County, including the Anclote River.

Farther north, harvesting is also permitted in:

• St. Joseph Bay and Gulf County from the Mexico Beach Canal in Bay County to the westernmost point of St. Vincent Island in Franklin County from Aug. 16 to Sept. 24.
• Franklin County through northwestern Taylor County (including Carrabelle, Lanark and St. Marks) from the westernmost point of St. Vincent Island in Franklin County to Rock Island near the mouth of the Fenholloway River in Taylor County through Sept. 24.
• Fenholloway through Suwannee Rivers Zone (including Keaton Beach and the Steinhatchee area) 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 near the mouth of the Suwannee River in Levy County.
• Levy, Citrus and Hernando counties (including Cedar Key, Crystal River and Homosassa) through Sept. 24. This region includes all state waters south of Alligator Pass near the mouth of the Suwannee River in Levy County and north of the Hernando-Pasco County line.

The FWC's Friday red tide update indicates there are low levels of red tide as far north as Bayonet Point in New Port Richey and medium levels at Anclote Key Beach, Green Key, North Anclote Key and the Anclote Key Lighthouse.

Over the past week, K. brevis, the organism that causes red tide, was detected in background to medium concentrations in 13 water samples taken in and offshore of Pasco County with bloom concentrations of 100,000 to 1 million cells per liter of water found in five samples in Pasco County.

Additionally, the FWC said fish kills suspected to be related to red tide have been reported in Pasco, Pinellas, Hillsborough, Manatee and Sarasota counties over the past week.

According to the FWC, water containing 100,000 or more cells of Karenia brevis per liter can result in respiratory irritation, shellfish harvesting closures and probable fish kills.

Nevertheless, scallop harvesting season is being heavily promoted by Pasco County's visitor's bureau, Florida's Sports Coast, due to the economic boost it brings to Pasco County each year - about $500,000 in economic impact.

According to Visit Florida, The annual bay scallop harvest is the largest economic driver for the Nature Coast (which runs from Pasco Coast north to Florida's Big Bend). Snorkelers hoping for a meal of these tasty mollusks travel from out of state and throughout Florida to take part in what is known as an “underwater Easter egg hunt."

A video posted on the visitor's bureau Facebook page shows a family engaging in a scallop "egg hunt," and Florida's Sports Coast website provides scallop recipes from the Pasco County restaurant, Benedetto's Ristorante Italiano, 21529 Village Lakes Shopping Center, Land O' Lakes.

Furthermore, Florida's Sports Coast is hosting an Instagram photo contest with a grand prize of a scalloping adventure for up to four people during the 2022 season and other prizes of a two-night stay for two or four in a King Studio Suite at Homewood Inn & Suites in Port Richey, a half-day scalloping charter with Florida Backwater Charters, a private kayak rental lesson with Salty Dog Kayak Rentals at Werner-Boyce State Park, dinner for two or four at Gill Dawg Bar & Grill in Port Richey, a healthy breakfast or lunch for two or four at ADAPT Freshness in New Port Richey, an e-scooter rental for two or four from ECarve LLC Scooter Rentals in downtown New Port Richey⁠ and a Sports Coast swag prize package⁠.

The contest ends July 25 and a random drawing will be held on July 28.

If You Plan To Harvest Scallops:

• The FWC recommends that scallop seekers check the red tide update and choose a location that currently has no positive red tide readings.
• The daily bag limit is 2 gallons of whole bay scallops per person (1 pint of bay scallop meat) and a maximum of 10 gallons of whole bay scallops per vessel, according to the FWC.
• Do not discard scallop shells in inshore waters commonly used for recreational activities. Piles of discarded scallop shells can create hazards for swimmers and damage seagrass habitat. Scallop shells can be discarded in a trash receptacle or in larger bodies of water where they are more likely to disperse.
• Harvest only by hand or by using a landing or dip net.
• Recreational harvesters need a Florida saltwater fishing license to harvest bay scallops unless they are exempt from needing a license or have a no-cost shoreline fishing license and are wading from the shore to collect scallops rather than snorkeling or Scuba diving, or using a boat to reach a harvest location.
• If diving for scallops from a boat wear a life jacket when underway and do not drink and boat.
• When scalloping in open water, divers should stay within 300 feet of a properly displayed divers-down flag or device, and within 100 feet of a properly displayed divers-down flag or device if on a river, inlet or navigation channel.
• Boat operators traveling within 300 feet of a divers-down flag or device in open water or within 100 feet of one on a river, inlet or navigational channel must slow to idle speed.

Pre-season bay scallop counts

Dive regulations and boating safety