Following the best practices below will ensure the bay scallop fishery is protected for future generations to enjoy. See this comprehensive resource for a complete list of best practices related to planning your trip, protecting the fishery, and cleaning your catch.

1. Throw back small scallops. Scallops that are smaller than 1.5 inches (the size of a golf ball or smaller) usually have not spawned yet, meaning they have not had a chance to contribute to next year’s fishery. In Florida, bay scallops typically only live one year. So, it is important that as many scallops as possible have the opportunity to spawn each season. While it is not legally required, throwing back small scallops is a great way to do your part to protect the fishery. Also, small scallops have smaller muscle meat so it might not even be worth your while to shuck the small ones.

2. Keep only what you will eat. While “limiting out” might seem like an obvious goal, don’t forget that someone will have to shuck all those scallops! One pint of scallop meat (the typical daily limit for one person) is roughly four servings of scallops. Rather than setting a goal of catching your limit, consider setting a more conservative goal based on how much meat you will actually eat. Scallop meat only keeps in the fridge for 1 day or about 3 months frozen. Plan accordingly!

3. Never double dip. Locals and law enforcement officers in the bay scallop harvest areas often report “double dipping”, or scallopers going out for a second trip after landing one limit. Without question, this is illegal. But is is also highly unethical and shows disrespect for the fishery and the people with livelihoods that depend on bay scallops.

4. Protect seagrass when boating. Be aware of seagrasses while boating in shallow areas! Many species, including bay scallops, depend on seagrasses. Damage from propellers and boat anchors (called seagrass scarring) reduces habitat quality and resilience of seagrasses over the long-term. Please visit the Be Seagrass Safe website for more information

5. Discard shells responsibly. Shells and soft tissues should be disposed of in open Gulf of Mexico waters with moderate to strong currents that are not channels, canals, marinas, springs, or boat ramps. Shells and soft tissues can cause problems for water quality and boating when dumped in high traffic areas close to shore. Shells disposed of in shallow swimming areas, such as springs or sandbars, pose a serious hazard to swimmers. If you clean your catch on shore, dispose of shells/soft tissues in the trash or clean and re-use for crafts or landscaping around the house.

Follow the guidance below to make sure your catch is safe to eat and as delicious as possible!

Ice down your catch. Place scallops on ice in a cooler until you clean them. Scallops will quickly die if left in the sun and will quickly spoil. Scallops will die quickly when placed on ice, especially if fresh water gets into their shells, but the cold temperature in the cooler keeps them from spoiling. Tip: store scallops by placing them on a wet towel on top of the ice in your cooler. This prevents meltwater from entering shells and can extend the amount of time scallops stay alive in the cooler, reducing bacterial growth.

Placing scallops on ice makes them easier to open, because the muscle holding the shells together relaxes. Drain the meltwater periodically and add more ice if needed to keep scallops cold until shucking.

Safe shucking. To shuck your scallops, grab either a shellfish knife (dull/blunt tip) or a teaspoon. The goal is to extract the circular white muscle meat, being careful to remove as much of the surrounding soft tissue as possible. Give a watch to the video for some tips on how to shuck your catch.

Cooking. Shellfish, such as oysters, that can be eaten raw are harvested from waters with very strict regulations. Scallops should be cooked because many open harvest areas for scallops are not subject to the same regulations. Food safety standards dictate recommend that scallops should be cooked until the meat is opaque and white. This usually does not take long for bay scallops (about 3 minutes total in most cases), so be careful not to overcook. Check out one of our most popular recipe ideas with an accompanying cooking demonstration: simply delish scallops.

Visit the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s bay scallop fishing regulations page to learn about scalloping seasons and harvest zones.

Learn more about the state’s efforts to protect and restore bay scallop fisheries. If you’ve previously been scalloping, take FWC’s bay scallop web survey.

Discover Florida’s Big Bend Shellfish Trail to experience the fresh, local shellfish of other fisheries in the region.