HERNANDO COUNTY, Fla. — Recreational scalloping brings people from all over the country to Tampa Bay, but its future could be in jeopardy. The issue is there are fewer scallops out there. It’s why Erik Walasek, a Hernando County business owner, came up with a device to help in efforts to save them.
“The first time I scalloped was 15 years ago. It’s fun, you do it with a bunch of friends," Walasek said. "When we see the population drop every year and it's harder to find them, or at least find them in the quantities we used to. I wanted to do something to help.”
As the owner of a product manufacturing company, Ped-Stuart, when Walasek learned of the shortage he knew he’d be able to create something to help with the scalloping saving efforts. He created something called the scallop sorter.
He partnered with Florida Sea Grant’s Brittney Sharf after she gave a presentation at a Leadership Hernando meeting.
“I told her I could have a prototype made in two days," Walasek said.
The scallop sorters are now being passed out at every boat ramp for free for the rest of the season. The sorter tool allows people to make sure they’re catching bigger scallops. If the scallop is small enough to fit through the hole in the tool, you leave it.
“We recommend based on what we know how fast scallops grow for you to leave the smaller ones behind,” Scharf said.
The goal is not only to save the scallops but to make sure that tourism in this part of the Tampa Bay area keeps booming.
Recreational scalloping season runs through September 24 in Hernando and Citrus Counties.
If you plan on going scalloping, be sure to check with FWC to see if you need a Florida saltwater fishing license before your trip.