THE SEXLIFE OF A SCALLOP
A hermaphrodite in a shell, a mollusc with ears or a jet propelled bivalve.
These are just some of the ways of describing the scallop (Pecten Maximus).
The scallop shell contains both the female and the male gonad, a gill, a foot, mouth, digestive gland, eye spot, tentacle, mantle and hinge ligament. It is quite normal for the hermaphrodite scallop to fertilise with other scallops.
The scallop is not, strangely, considered an aphrodisiac in the same way as an oyster. But, having said that, Sandro Botticelli's famous painting of Venus rising from a scallop shell is a perfect example of the symbol being used in fertility imagery. It is, like the oyster, an excellent source of protein, calcium, iron and vitamin B12 and is very tasty.
Scallops prefer clean, deepish, full salinity water and do very well in the slightly warmer waters of the south and west coasts of England and Wales. They are fully mature at around three years old and it is possible to tell their age by the stripes or bands on their shells. One band for each year.
Most spawning occurs from April to September and most growth occurs between April and June.
RYE BAY SCALLOPS AND THE ENVIRONMENT
Scallops have long been fished in the waters of Rye Bay. Local bye-laws restricting the fishermen to harvesting their scallop catch from 1st November until the 30th April are strictly adhered to by Rye's fleet who use the small (under 10 metre) RX registered boats. The beds are checked regularly and allowed to regenerate when necessary. There are also size restrictions on the catch, leaving the smaller scallops in the water for future years.
Checks undertaken by both DEFRA and the local fishermen ensure that stocks are healthy and sustainably maintained.
".....harvesting of scallops in Sussex is one of the most stringent in terms of restrictions etc. The East Channel scallop fishery is a productive one, so that coupled with a responsible, abiding industry, should certainly pave the way to sustainability!" Quote from Sustainable Fisheries Development Officer.
The Rye Bay fishermen find that 70'-80' is the minimum depth that scallops can be found in this area which does make hand diving impractical. But with the restrictions on size, season and limited boat capacity Rye fishing industry continues to harvest annually without any noticeable reduction in stock.
If you would like further information about Rye's fishing fleet, it's catch and it's practices then you can call Russell Drew at Market Fisheries (Rye) on 01797 225175.
JUST OUT OF INTEREST
Scallop fossils have been found dating back over three million years and the shell is used symbolically in many ways. Apart from being the logo of a well-known oil company it can often be found in heraldry including Princess Diana's coat of arms, the Spencer family crest and more recently on Prince William's Knight of the Garter crest. The shell shape has long been considered a sign of pilgrimage too, particularly of travellers to the shrine of St James at Santiago de Compostela in Spain.
There is a small Wesleyan chapel in the town of Winchelsea, just a mile or so from Rye, overlooking Rye Bay. John Wesley, renowned Methodist preacher, used this little chapel, built in 1785, and conducted his last open air service in the town of Winchelsea in 1790. Is it a coincidence that the Methodists adopted the scallop shell, taken from John Wesley's coat of arms, as their symbol?