After nearly a century of local extinction, bay scallops are experiencing a remarkable comeback in the coastal bays of Virginia’s Eastern Shore. This resurgence is the result of decades of dedicated restoration work, which has successfully revived the underwater eelgrass meadows that are essential for the scallops’ survival. The thriving scallop population may soon support a recreational fishery, a prospect that was unimaginable just a few years ago.
The story of the bay scallop in Virginia is one of ecological collapse and painstaking recovery. Once the backbone of a major fishery in the early 20th century, the scallops were wiped out in the 1930s by a combination of a seagrass-killing slime mold and a powerful hurricane. Now, thanks to one of the most successful seagrass restoration projects in the world, the stage was set for the scallops’ return, a process that has accelerated dramatically in recent years, with the population now projected to double in less than 18 months.
A Tale of Two Disappearances
In the early 1900s, Virginia’s Eastern Shore was a hub for bay scallop harvesting, supporting the nation’s most productive fishery for the species in 1930. These small, sweet-tasting mollusks thrived in the extensive underwater meadows of eelgrass that characterized the region’s shallow coastal bays. This all changed in the early 1930s when a wasting disease, caused by a slime mold, decimated the eelgrass beds. The loss of this critical habitat, which provides shelter and a place for young scallops to attach and grow, was a catastrophic blow. A major hurricane in 1933 delivered the final strike, wiping out what remained of the eelgrass and, with it, the entire bay scallop population. For the next 70 years, the species was considered locally extinct in Virginia waters.
Rebuilding the Underwater Prairie
The first step toward the scallops’ return had nothing to do with the scallops themselves. It began with the painstaking work of restoring their lost habitat. In 1997, researchers discovered a small, surviving patch of eelgrass, sparking a major restoration initiative led by the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) at William & Mary. Launched in 1999, this effort involved seeding the coastal bays with eelgrass, a project that has since become the most successful seagrass restoration effort in the world. Over the past two decades, these efforts have transformed barren bay floors into lush underwater prairies, with eelgrass meadows now covering more than 10,000 acres. This remarkable ecological achievement created the necessary foundation for reintroducing the long-lost bay scallop.
A Methodical Reintroduction of a Native Species
Hatchery and Spawning
With healthy eelgrass beds re-established, scientists at the VIMS Eastern Shore Laboratory (ESL) began the ambitious project of bringing back the bay scallop in 2009. The process started by transporting adult scallops from robust populations in North Carolina to serve as broodstock. At the ESL’s Castagna Shellfish Research Hatchery, these adults were spawned in controlled environments. The resulting larvae were carefully reared, fed on cultured microalgae, and transferred to a land-based nursery where they could continue to grow by feeding on naturally occurring phytoplankton.
From Cages to Wild Release
Once the juvenile scallops reached a suitable size, typically after 60 to 75 days, they were placed in protective cages at designated sites within the restored eelgrass meadows. These cages shielded the young scallops from predators while allowing them to grow and eventually spawn. As the scallops grew, they were thinned out to prevent overcrowding, and after 14 months, they were released into the wild. Any surplus scallops from the hatchery were also released directly into the grass beds, a strategy designed to build up what scientists call “propagule pressure”—a critical mass of animals needed to establish a self-sustaining, naturally spawning population.
Measuring a Population Explosion
For years, the restoration effort yielded slow, fluctuating results. However, recent annual surveys have documented a dramatic surge in the scallop population. The 2025 VIMS survey recorded an average density of 0.114 scallops per square meter, a significant increase from the 0.07 per square meter observed in the prior year’s survey. Researchers now regularly find multiple scallops within a single square meter, a density that was unheard of just a few years ago. This exponential growth suggests the population has reached a tipping point, where natural reproduction in the wild is now likely driving the expansion. Favorable water quality and weather conditions have also contributed to this success.
The Future of the Fishery
The success of the restoration has raised the exciting possibility of re-establishing a recreational scallop fishery. This would not only mark a full-circle recovery for the species but also create new economic opportunities for the Eastern Shore. However, scientists urge a cautious approach. Before any harvesting can be permitted, a robust management and regulatory framework must be established to ensure the long-term sustainability of the newly restored population. Researchers are now reviewing regulations from other states, such as North Carolina and Florida, to advise the Virginia Marine Resources Commission on creating rules that would prevent the overfishing that contributed to the scallops’ original decline. The goal is to balance recreational enjoyment with the preservation of this iconic and newly returned species.