2026 Sea Scallop Dredge Survey Completed
Our annual Scallop Dredge Survey completed 94 percent of planned stations aboard the commercial fishing vessel Selje. The survey observed large numbers of seed scallops at multiple stations across Georges Bank.
Our Atlantic Sea Scallop Dredge Survey collects data on the abundance, spatial distribution, and life history of Atlantic sea scallops from Georges Bank to the Delmarva Peninsula. We use a standardized 8-foot-wide New Bedford sea scallop dredge to collect sea scallops and associated bycatch for biological analyses. Sensors on the dredge record tilt, roll, bottom contact, temperature, and depth.
Dates and Legs
The 2026 Dredge Survey began on June 19 and completed operations on June 28 aboard the F/V Selje. This year’s dredge survey occurred in one leg.
Location
This survey monitors sea scallop stock abundance and distribution on the Northwest Atlantic Ocean from Georges Bank to the Mid-Atlantic. This year sampling targeted Georges Bank while Research Set-Aside Partners surveyed the Mid-Atlantic.
This year’s survey moved from the southern Great South Channel, through Closed Area 1, up the Northern Flank to Closed Area 2, then back down to Closed Area 1 and the northern portion of the Great South Channel.
Completion Rates
The survey team:
- Completed fishery resource survey dredge tows at 164 of 173 planned random stations (94 percent completion)
- Completed all three planned fixed stations (locations that are resurveyed each year)
The 2026 survey is considered a fully representative survey. We had some challenging weather at the start of the survey, but the efficiency and hard work of the crew and scientific staff ensured the survey’s success. We provided good coverage of all strata and high priority areas.
Data Collection and Use
The data collected on scallops are primarily used to track scallop abundance, distribution, ages, lengths, weights, sex, maturity, and disease presence. We also recorded lengths of skates, monkfish, and other commercially important fish species caught during the survey. We counted all other fish, lobster, and key scallop predators including sea stars, crabs in the Cancer genus, moon snails (new for 2026), and waved whelks caught at all random stations. We estimated the composition of seafloor substrate (mud, rocks, etc.) and other bycatch by volume.
Each dredge has a sensor that records tilt along three axes to make sure the dredge has good contact with the bottom. The sensor also records temperature and depth every second to help link organism distribution to physical oceanographic conditions.
Survey Improvements
The Dredge Survey uses a stratified random sampling design. From 1975–2024, survey strata boundaries were based primarily on depth and secondarily on latitude. While depth is generally related to scallop abundance, the strata were not specifically designed for sea scallops. After a review by a subpanel of the New England Fishery Management Council Scientific and Statistical Committee, we implemented a spatially balanced random sampling design in 2025. It uses a Generalized Random Tessellation Stratified sampling design to select stations for sampling. We also switched to using Scallop Area Management Simulator areas as survey strata in 2025.
This survey design is more efficient and consistent with long-term management boundaries. It is a more flexible way to track changing distributions of scallops. Some of our stations were outside the management simulator area boundaries to maintain coverage from the historical survey footprint.
Preliminary Results
We observed the largest numbers of scallops in the western portion of Closed Area 1 and the northern Great South Channel, bordering Closed Area 1. We found the highest abundances of large scallops (greater than 10 millimeters) in Closed Area 2 North. We observed large numbers of seed scallops in the eastern portion of the Northern Flank, the western portion of Closed Area 1 North, and the northern portion of the Great South Channel. We collected a large catch of 3- to 4-year-old scallops at a fixed station in the Nantucket Lightship area. We estimated that catch to contain over 12,000 individuals.
We release survey data annually after the survey is complete:
More information on the survey can be found on our survey page.
Completed Dredge Survey Stations
Survey Mission
The Dredge Survey first began in 1979, and the Habitat Camera Survey was incorporated into the Dredge Survey in 2012. Beginning in 2024, these surveys were split into two distinct surveys.
The Dredge Survey has developed into a collaborative survey between our science center and the scallop industry using an industry vessel.