Shellfish biologist begins weekly scalloper survey
BY PETER B. BRACE INDEPENDENT WRITER
Starting this week, commercial scallopers will be asked to log information about their daily catch and turn in their observations to the Marine & Coastal Resources Department.

To help him get a clearer picture of the environmental and economic health of the scallop fishery, and develop baseline information on the next season's brood stock, Town Shellfish Biologist Jeff Mercer designed a daily commercial scallop survey card that scallopers can use to report on all aspects of their forays into the harbors.

"We're trying to get an idea basically to track changes in the populations in different locations to see what areas have seed. When we do stock assessments following the summer, the information we get from the fishermen will tell us what areas we choose to do surveys to make stock assessments," said Mercer.

Running down the left of the card are the days of the week, Monday through Friday, and across the top are the headings; # of bushels, pounds of meat, price per pound, area fished, time fished, # of dredges and tows, # of seed less than one inch, # of seed greater than one inch and a space for notes on predators, seaweed and bottom type.

On the other side is a map of Nantucket Harbor where scallopers who do not mind sharing their fishing spots can show Mercer where they have been fishing each week.

He encourages scallopers to fill in answers for all categories for each day they fish, but understands that many fishermen will not list where they fished. Some may choose to submit each week's card anonymously.

"It doesn't have to be completed on a weekly basis," said Mercer. "If they want to fill them out and turn them in at the end of the month, we don't care when we get them, as long as we do get them."

A copy of the survey card was mailed to all commercially licensed scallopers with a letter from Mercer explaining the survey and how to participate. The town's shellfish wardens will be carrying the survey cards to distribute them and collect them. There is a collection box affixed to the outside of the Marine Department building, to the left of the main door, and Mercer said that scallopers can also go to www.nantucket-ma.gov to download and print out the survey.

Because the card is marked with the Marine Department's address, scallopers also have the option of mailing their cards back to Mercer.

"It will also help us track if there is a lot of seed in one area and if that seed turns into a lot of adults the next year, [where we can do] natural seed nurseries or sanctuaries," said Mercer.

Marine Superintendent Dave Fronzuto said he tried a similar survey form several years ago that did not get much of a response from the fishermen. Before any of the cards have even been turned in, he said the positive comments to date have been "tremendous" and that everyone seems to like how

user-friendly the surveys are. I