By Eliot Baker
I&M Staff Writer
Harbormaster Dave Fronzuto will probably petition the state to extend the commercial scalloping season one week past its March 31 completion, if enough fishermen turn out at Tuesday’s Shellfish and Harbor Advisory Board demonstrating a financial need and desire to keep dredging a plentiful scallop harvest that has already hauled in 16,200 bushels.
Since scallops only have one spawning event in their two-year life cycle, harvesting adult scallops an extra week should not over-stress Nantucket’s bay scallop population, considered the world’s last commercially-viable bay scallop fishery for over two decades, marine scientists said. While Fronzuto said petitioning the state is little more than a formality, he added that he would only do so if the fishermen and SHAB assured him that a market remains for the scallops and that fishermen would indeed continue to be on the water.
He said 20 boats were on the water this week, about twice the number of last year’s fleet at this time of the season. Many are still hauling in their limits.
“The ball’s in their court,” said Fronzuto. “They have to make that request and we can facilitate it for them. I’m not going to extend the season if nobody’s going to fish and the buyers no longer want to buy.”
It’s been a surprisingly rough economic season for the fishermen despite the bountiful harvest. Veteran scalloper and SHAB member Doug Smith said his gross is down from $30,000 last year to $20,000 this year due to the unusually small meats in this season’s scallops.
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