Atlantic Sea Scallop
Placopecten magellanicus
Drawn from a named source but not independently confirmed. Double-check before relying on it.
Habitat/fishery-management framing via NOAA Fisheries' own species page found via WebSearch.
Legal status: Included for identification/context only — this is a federally-managed offshore commercial fishery species, not a practical recreational target for anyone fishing from Hampton Roads' shore, piers, or nearshore waters. This guide did not research a specific recreational offshore permit pathway, since it falls well outside every access method this guide otherwise covers.
The large (up to 8-inch), smooth-shelled scallop familiar from seafood markets — genuinely distinct from the small, seagrass-dwelling bay scallop.
Identification
- Large, smooth, relatively flat fan-shaped shell.
- Offshore deep-water habitat, never encountered in Hampton Roads' tidal creeks or the inner Bay.
- Regional occurrence
- A cold-water, offshore continental-shelf species and the base of a major federal commercial fishery — not found in Hampton Roads' shallow tidal waters at all, and not a realistic recreational target from shore, a pier, or an ordinary recreational boat trip in this region.
- Habitat
- Deep, cold, offshore continental-shelf waters — well beyond the reach of the recreational harvest methods this guide otherwise covers.
- Food use
- Not Typically Eaten
Similar species — check before you keep one
Identification alone never establishes that an animal may legally be kept. Confirm species before harvesting.
This page is educational and does not certify that any specific animal may be legally harvested at any specific time or place. Confirm current regulations, health-closure status, and access rights before harvesting.