Scallops. Back to the 70s

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Scallops. Back to the 70s

Post by re-tyred » Sat Mar 20, 2021 5:20 pm

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Re: Scallops. Back to the 70s

Post by Paulanderson » Sat Mar 20, 2021 10:08 pm

I hope for the industries sake that the TAC is realistic and allows for a long-term fishery. I remember back in the eighties there were a few small scallop boats at Bermagui working a scallop bed down towards Tathra and doing well - we ate quite a few of them! Swapping a couple of Albacore for a bucket of big scallops in the shell was a good swap. Overnight a dozen or so much bigger boats came up from Victoria and a couple of months later went home leaving nothing for the small local boats. It would be interesting to know if that bed ever recovered?

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Re: Scallops. Back to the 70s

Post by re-tyred » Sun Mar 21, 2021 5:02 am

Scallops are a bit like locusts and mice. When the conditions are right there are billions. When the conditions change they die out. There will never be a steady supply.
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Re: Scallops. Back to the 70s

Post by re-tyred » Sun Mar 21, 2021 7:32 am

The back to the 70s was referring to climate cycles that favour scallop growth . We are most likely entering a decadal negative in the Pacific Decadal Oscillation. Last one was mid 1940s to late 1970s . Scallops were first "discovered" in Bass Strait in the late 1960s. The post WW2 Danish siene fishermen were well aware of their existence earlier than the "discovery". It may be that we will have a number of years of good scallop growth. They are very sensitive to high water temperature over summer which if too high kills them off. This is why the south NSW coast is the most northern habitat of this variety. It is also why Tasmanian waters are more reliable for quality scallops. You may have noticed this year Victorian summer water temperature has been 2-3 degrees colder than the last few years.
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Re: Scallops. Back to the 70s

Post by re-tyred » Sun Mar 21, 2021 8:03 am

The colder Bass strait temperature is most likely due to increased circulation of the south west Pacific Ocean. The Southern Pacific circulates anti clockwise. La Nina increases the easterly trade winds near the equator. It often gives us a Swesterly summer like this year. Odds are for a number of them over the next few years. That doesn't mean no El Nino, just less likely to get big ones.
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Re: Scallops. Back to the 70s

Post by Sebb » Sun Mar 21, 2021 12:12 pm

How do they harvest scallops? Net the bottom?
Not only for exporting them, locally they might get cheaper in the market.
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Re: Scallops. Back to the 70s

Post by re-tyred » Sun Mar 21, 2021 12:26 pm

Scallop dredge. Drag it along the bottom. https://www.afma.gov.au/fisheries-manag ... s/scallops
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Re: Scallops. Back to the 70s

Post by denis barden » Sun Mar 21, 2021 4:28 pm

Kool info here

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Re: Scallops. Back to the 70s

Post by hornet » Sun Mar 21, 2021 7:01 pm

Are they still using steel baskets or the net and chain method ?

Back in the day it was alleged they destroyed the bottom structures of port Phillip bay and western port with steel baskets.

Fishermen went to protests in the city led buy Rex Hunt speaking at the podium in front of parliament house steps.

Many boats were towed around the city in convoy around parliament house.

The old salts here will remember this.

Check out this blast from the past: https://www.thepetitionsite.com/620/435 ... -melbourne./

"In 1997 scallop dredging was banned in Port Phillip Bay. The government buyout is recognised as the single biggest improvement to the health of the bay in modern history. Since then the marine life has flourished and the scallops have once again become a critical part of the food chain, particularly for the snapper population; the most popular target species in Victoria’s recreational fishery.

Exploitation of the Port Phillip scallops beds only takes us back to the destructive days of scallop harvesting experienced from 1963 - 1997. Let’s not turn back the clock 20 years! "
Last edited by hornet on Sun Mar 21, 2021 7:43 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Scallops. Back to the 70s

Post by frozenpod » Sun Mar 21, 2021 7:16 pm

hornet wrote:
Sun Mar 21, 2021 7:01 pm
Are they still using steel baskets or the net and chain method ?

Back in the day it was alleged they destroyed the bottom structures of port Phillip bay and western port with steel baskets.

Fishermen went to protests in the city led buy Rex Hunt speaking at the podium in front of parliament house steps.

Many boats were towed around the city in convoy around parliament house.

The old salts here will remember this.

Check out this bast from the past: https://www.thepetitionsite.com/620/435 ... -melbourne./

"In 1997 scallop dredging was banned in Port Phillip Bay. The government buyout is recognised as the single biggest improvement to the health of the bay in modern history. Since then the marine life has flourished and the scallops have once again become a critical part of the food chain, particularly for the snapper population; the most popular target species in Victoria’s recreational fishery.

Exploitation of the Port Phillip scallops beds only takes us back to the destructive days of scallop harvesting experienced from 1963 - 1997. Let’s not turn back the clock 20 years! "
Depends entirely on the location and habitat.

Trawling in some locations has zero long term effects where as in others ppb being the perfect example is highly destructive.

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