Slide Menu
Jump to Section...
Account Creation Issues: We have received reports of issues with creating new user accounts and linking accounts to CAM, and are currently investigating the root cause. In the meantime: - If you're experiencing errors creating new users, please use the "Quick Add" feature instead (click the "Quick Add" button on the Manage Users page). - If you're experiencing errors linking CAM accoun...
View All
Search Help Show/Hide Menu
Completion Rubric
83%
29 / 35
View Report
NEFSC Metadata Library > Population and Ecosystems Monitoring and Analys... > Ecosystems Surveys Branch > Dredge Surveys >

Sea Scallop Survey

Data Set (DS)  |  Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC)
GUID: gov.noaa.nmfs.inport:22564  |  Updated: July 29, 2026  |  Published / External 
Short Citation:
Full Citation Examples
Northeast Fisheries Science Center, 2026: Sea Scallop Survey, https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/22564.

Item Identification

Title: Sea Scallop Survey
Short Name: Sea Scallop Survey
Status: Completed
Abstract:

The standardized NEFSC Sea Scallop Survey began in 1980 and has covered an area from Cape Hatteras to Georges Bank. The survey aims to determine the distribution and abundance of scallops and associated fauna utilizing two sampling devices: the 8-foot wide New Bedford style dredge, standardized sea scallop dredge and the stereo-optic towed camera array (HabCam). Fifteen minute dredge hauls are made at stations that are randomly selected using the NEFSC shellfish strata to provide unbiased abundance measurements. The HabCam is conducted using transects across bathymetry lines in the same area as the dredge tows. Various vessels have served as a platform for the survey, including NOAA vessels: FRV Albatross IV, FRV Oregon II, FRV Chapman, FV Tradition, the UNOLS vessel RV Hugh R. Sharp, and currently, NOAA RV Henry B. Bigelow (HabCam) and commercial FV Selje (dredge).

Purpose:

The NEFSC Sea Scallop Survey is an annual quantitative cruise to determine the distribution and abundance of scallops, Placopecten magellanicus, and Icelandic scallops, Chlamys islandica, and to characterize the associated fauna. There are three parts to the survey covering the following areas: Mid-Atlantic Bight/Southern New England, Southern New England/Georges Bank, and Georges Bank although coverage in earlier surveys spanned as far south as Cape Hatteras.
Notes:

With the decommissioning of the FRV Albatross IV in 2008, the Sea Scallop Survey was transitioned to the UNOL's vessel, RV Hugh R. Sharp. In 2024 the dredge portion of the survey transitioned to a commercial fishing vessel, FV Selje. In 2025, the HabCam survey transitioned to the NOAA vessel Henry B. Bigelow and the dredge survey continued on the FV Selje.

Since 2009, a habitat mapping camera system (HabCam) has been deployed. The camera system is towed by the vessel to a depth within one to two meters of the seafloor. Rapid photo streams (6 images per second) are sent to the ship over a fiber-optic cable, where they are recorded on large scale servers. This stream of images can later be stitched together to form a mosaic of the seafloor. Scientists on the ship see images and data while flying HabCam. Scallop measurements from the images are translated into a true size and biomass measurement. In addition, new software allows automated counting and measurement on the ship while the instrument is being towed.

Starting in 2025, a Generalized Random Tessellation Stratified (GRTS) design was implemented for dredge station selection, along with a switch to using Scallop Area Management Simulator (SAMS) areas as survey strata. Some stations may be outside the SAMS area boundaries to include coverage of the historical survey footprint. Metadata tables are provided to include both the original NEFSC shellfish strata membership and SAMS area membership for each dredge station.

Keywords

Theme Keywords

Thesaurus Keyword
UNCONTROLLED
NMFS Data Category bio-sampling
NMFS Data Category fishery-independent surveys
None Atlantic sea scallop
None Chlamys islandica
None dredge
None FRV Albatross IV
None FRV Chapman
None FRV Oregon II
None FV Tradition
None HabCam
None Icelandic scallop
None Placopecten magellanicus
None rock chains
None RV Hugh R. Sharp
None stereo-optic towed vehicle

Temporal Keywords

Thesaurus Keyword
UNCONTROLLED
None summer

Spatial Keywords

Thesaurus Keyword
UNCONTROLLED
None Georges Bank
None Mid-Atlantic Bight
None southern New England

Stratum Keywords

Thesaurus Keyword
UNCONTROLLED
NMFS Data Category benthic

Physical Location

Organization: Northeast Fisheries Science Center
City: Woods Hole
State/Province: MA
Country: USA

Data Set Information

Data Set Scope Code: Data Set
Data Set Type: Oracle Database
Maintenance Frequency: As Needed
Data Presentation Form: Table (digital)
Data Set Credit: NEFSC ESB

Support Roles

Data Steward

CC ID: 1378623
Date Effective From: 2025
Date Effective To:
Contact (Person): Kircun, Jakub
Address: 166 Water Street
Woods Hole, MA 02543
Email Address: jakub.kircun@noaa.gov

Distributor

CC ID: 222404
Date Effective From: 2015
Date Effective To:
Contact (Organization): Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC)
Address: 166 Water Street
Woods Hole, MA 02543-1026
USA
ROR: https://ror.org/02nc0ck44
Phone: (508)495-2000
URL: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/about/northeast-fisheries-science-center
Business Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday - Friday
Contact Instructions:

Contact via email.

Metadata Contact

CC ID: 1378624
Date Effective From: 2025
Date Effective To:
Contact (Person): Kircun, Jakub
Address: 166 Water Street
Woods Hole, MA 02543
Email Address: jakub.kircun@noaa.gov

Originator

CC ID: 205806
Date Effective From: 1980
Date Effective To:
Contact (Organization): Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC)
Address: 166 Water Street
Woods Hole, MA 02543-1026
USA
ROR: https://ror.org/02nc0ck44
Phone: (508)495-2000
URL: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/about/northeast-fisheries-science-center
Business Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday - Friday
Contact Instructions:

Email

Point of Contact

CC ID: 205807
Date Effective From: 2026
Date Effective To:
Contact (Person): Morton, Dana
Address: 166 Water Street
Woods Hole, MA 02543
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5936-666X
Email Address: dana.morton@noaa.gov
Phone: (774) 238-7424
Contact Instructions:

Email

Principal Investigator

CC ID: 1410660
Date Effective From: 2024
Date Effective To:
Contact (Person): Morton, Dana
Address: 166 Water Street
Woods Hole, MA 02543
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5936-666X
Email Address: dana.morton@noaa.gov
Phone: (774) 238-7424
Contact Instructions:

Email
View Historical Support Roles

Extents

Currentness Reference: Ground Condition

Extent Group 1

Extent Group 1 / Geographic Area 1

CC ID: 213757
W° Bound: -75.633333
E° Bound: -65.916
N° Bound: 43.483333
S° Bound: 35.55
Description

northwest Atlantic Ocean: Cape Hatteras, Delmarva Peninsula, Mid-Atlantic Bight, southern New England, Georges Bank

Extent Group 1 / Time Frame 1

CC ID: 213754
Time Frame Type: Continuing
Start: 1980-05-20
Description:

The first scallop survey implementing a standard dredge, stratified random sampling design and covering a consistent area commenced on 05/20/1980.

Access Information

Security Class: Unclassified
Data Access Policy:

Available to qualified researchers.
Data Access Procedure:

1. Formal request in writing usually to the data owner/contact or Center Director.

2. Requester is contacted by data owner to review and verify the request content and details for data delivery options.

3. If data is confidential then owner will determine is the data may be released to the requester.

4. If data can be released, the data is downloaded and packaged for delivery electronically; or the requester may be directed to where the data is available online.
Data Access Constraints:

If data is stored on an internal NEFSC network, the requester may not have direct access to query the data unless they are also authorized for network access.
Data Use Constraints:

User must read and fully comprehend the metadata prior to use. Applications or inferences derived from the data should be carefully considered for accuracy. Acknowledgement of NOAA/NMFS/NEFSC, as the source from which these data were obtained in any publications and/or other representations of these, data is suggested.

Distribution Information

Distribution 1

CC ID: 247325
Download URL: https://storage.googleapis.com/nmfs_odp_nefsc/PARR/PEMAD/ESB/22564/22564_NEFSCSeaScallopFisheriesIndependentSurveyData.zip
Distributor:
File Name: 22564_NEFSCSeaScallopFisheriesIndependentSurveyData.zip
Description:

The compressed file contains the following comma delimited files:

22564_UNION_FSCS_SVBIO.csv

22564_UNION_FSCS_SVCAT.csv

22564_UNION_FSCS_SVLEN.csv

22564_UNION_FSCS_SVSTA.csv

22564_SVDBS_CRUISES.csv

Data extracted on 7/29/2026
File Date/Time: 2026-07-29 00:00:00
File Type (Deprecated): Zip
File Size: 6.7MB
Compression: Zip

Distribution 2

CC ID: 579733
Download URL: https://storage.googleapis.com/nmfs_odp_nefsc/PARR/PEMAD/ESB/SVDBS/SVDBS_SupportTables.zip
Distributor:
File Name: SVDBS_SupportTables.zip
Description:

The compressed file contains the following comma delimited files:

SVDBS_CLOUD.csv

SVDBS_MATURITY_CODES.csv

SVDBS_SEX_CODES.csv

SVDBS_SVGEAR.csv

SVDBS_SVMSTRATA.csv

SVDBS_SVVESSEL.csv

SVDBS_WEATHER.csv

SVDBS_XBT.csv
File Date/Time: 2017-08-08 00:00:00
File Type (Deprecated): Zip
File Size: 27.7KB
Compression: Zip

URLs

URL 1

CC ID: 181260
URL: https://nefsc.noaa.gov/esb/mainpage/scallop_cr.html
URL Type:
Online Resource
File Resource Format: HTML
Description:

Link to the Atlantic Sea Scallop cruise results, which describe the purpose, methods used, personnel who participated, and a summary of the total number of samples collected for various government and university investigators.

URL 2

CC ID: 182051
URL: https://www.moc.noaa.gov/al/
URL Type:
Online Resource
File Resource Format: HTML
Description:

Link to the homepage of The FRV Albatross IV, which served as the scallop survey platform until 2007.

URL 3

CC ID: 182481
URL: https://nefsc.noaa.gov/publications/series/whlrd/whlrd8206.pdf
URL Type:
Online Resource
File Resource Format: PDF
Description:

Serchuk, F.M., P.W. Wood, and R.S. Rak. 1982. Review and assessment of the Georges Bank, Mid-Atlantic and Gulf of Maine Atlantic sea scallop (Placopecten

magellanicus) resources. U.S. Natl. Mar. Fish. Serv., Northeast Fish. Cent., Woods Hole Lab. Ref. Doc. 82-06. 132 p.

URL 4

CC ID: 195271
URL: https://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/press_release/2012/SciSpot/SS1208/
URL Type:
Online Resource
File Resource Format: HTML
Description:

Science Spotlight: New Survey of Ocean Floor Finds Juvenile Scallops are Abundant in Mid-Atlantic.

URL 5

CC ID: 195272
URL: https://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/stories/2012/07/07_11_12hab_cam.html
URL Type:
Online Resource
File Resource Format: HTML
Description:

NOAA Fisheries Feature Story: HabCam Part I: An Innovative Way to Survey Scallop Habitat.

URL 6

CC ID: 195273
URL: https://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/stories/2012/07/07_hab_cam_part_two.html
URL Type:
Online Resource
File Resource Format: HTML
Description:

NOAA Fisheries Feature Story: HabCam Part II: A Closer Look at Our Science and Technology

URL 7

CC ID: 195274
URL: http://habcam.whoi.edu/
URL Type:
Online Resource
File Resource Format: HTML
Description:

Habcam - Habitat Mapping Camera System

URL 8

CC ID: 213758
URL: http://www.ceoe.udel.edu/schools-departments/school-of-marine-science-and-policy/marine-operations/r-v-hugh-r-sharp
URL Type:
Online Resource
File Resource Format: HTML
Description:

Link to the University of Delaware, which provides information about the RV Hugh R. Sharp, the current scallop survey platform.

URL 9

CC ID: 227210
URL: https://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/femad/ecosurvey/mainpage/scallop_rsr.html
URL Type:
Online Resource
File Resource Format: PDF
Description:

Link to the Atlantic Sea Scallop Survey Resource Survey Reports. The Resource Survey Reports consist of field notes, station and catch summaries, and a series of geographical plots of commercial and recreationally important species caught during the Ecosystem Surveys Branch's annual scallop resource cruise.

Technical Environment

Description:

RDBMS: Oracle

Data Quality

Quality Control Procedures Employed:

SCS and FSCS data collection software programs employ real-time validation and must meet database integrity constraints. Prior to FSCS data collection, paper logs were pre-audited prior to keypunching. Data were then subject to post-audits.

Data Management

Have Resources for Management of these Data Been Identified?: Yes
Approximate Percentage of Budget for these Data Devoted to Data Management: Unknown
Do these Data Comply with the Data Access Directive?: Yes
Is Access to the Data Limited Based on an Approved Waiver?: No
Approximate Delay Between Data Collection and Dissemination: 45 days
Actual or Planned Long-Term Data Archive Location: Other
If World Data Center or Other, Specify: NEFSC
Approximate Delay Between Data Collection and Archiving: N/A
How Will the Data Be Protected from Accidental or Malicious Modification or Deletion Prior to Receipt by the Archive?:

Archival of source data preserving unaltered collected data, Scheduled backups, Remote storage backups, Password protection.

Lineage

Lineage Statement:

Vessel sensor data are collected electronically using SCS. Station, catch and biological data were collected manually using paper logs until 2000. At the completion of each cruise leg, the logs were keypunched and data audited extensively prior to being released.

Starting with year 2001, FSCS 1.0 was implemented to electronically capture station, catch and biological data. Data were subject to extensive audits prior to being released.

Acquisition Information

Instruments

Instrument 1

CC ID: 1410661
Identifier: Furuno GPS
Docucomp UUID: 563697f0-69f4-11e0-ae3e-0800200c9a66
Instrument / Gear: Instrument
Instrument Type: Position
Description:

FURUNO GP150 is a GPS navigator designed for the SOLAS ships according to the GPS performance standard IMO Res MSC.112(73) and associated IEC standards effective on and after July 1, 2003. It is a highly reliable standalone EPFS (electronic position fixing system) that feeds positioning information to AIS, Radar, VDR, VideoPlotter, Autopilot, Echo Sounder and Sonar.

Instrument 2

CC ID: 1410662
Identifier: GPS (Global Positioning System)
Instrument / Gear: Instrument
Instrument Type: GPS (Global Positioning System)
Description:

The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a U.S.-owned utility that provides users with positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) services. This system consists of three segments: the space segment, the control segment, and the user segment. The U.S. Air Force develops, maintains, and operates the space and control segments.

Instrument 3

CC ID: 1410663
Identifier: New Bedford Sea Scallop Dredge
Instrument / Gear: Gear
Instrument Type: Dredges
Description:

The New Bedford-type dredge is primarily used to harvest sea scallops. The forward edge of the New Bedford-type dredge uses a cutting bar to create turbulence that drives scallops from the sediment into the bag of the dredge. The bag is made of metal rings and drags on the seafloor.

Child Items

Rubric scores updated every 15m

Rubric Score Type Title
Entity Table: CLOUD
Entity Table: MATURITY_CODES
Entity Table: SEX_CODES
Entity Table: SVGEAR
Entity Table: SVMSTRATA
Entity Table: SVVESSEL
Entity Table: UNION_FSCS_SVBIO
Entity Table: UNION_FSCS_SVCAT
Entity Table: UNION_FSCS_SVLEN
Entity Table: UNION_FSCS_SVSTA
Entity Table: WEATHER
Entity Table: XBT

Catalog Details

Catalog Item ID: 22564
GUID: gov.noaa.nmfs.inport:22564
Metadata Record Created By: Nancy McHugh
Metadata Record Created: 2014-11-14 11:13+0000
Metadata Record Last Modified By: Jakub Kircun
Metadata Record Last Modified: 2026-07-29 13:39+0000
Metadata Record Published: 2019-05-31
Owner Org: NEFSC
Metadata Publication Status: Published Externally
Do Not Publish?: N
Metadata Last Review Date: 2019-05-31
Metadata Review Frequency: 1 Year
Metadata Next Review Date: 2020-05-31