Following the early closure of the scalloping season in Aquinnah, town officials and shellfish biologists are trying to understand the unexpected decline in the number of adult scallops this year. The season closed Nov. 15 in response to a lack of adult scallops; a black algae was also observed growing on many of the scallop shells.

Dragging for bay scallops is now prohibited in Edgartown when the air temperature falls below 30 degrees fahrenheit. The change from 28 to 30 degrees is intended to protect bay scallop seed, especially the small seed growing at Cape Pogue.

Bay scallop season opened Wednesday in Edgartown for family permit holders, and Oak Bluffs will be quick to follow with a season that begins on Oct. 18. Commercial season opens later in October.

It’s been a particularly successful year for bay scalloping in Chilmark, town shellfish constable Isaiah Scheffer confirmed this week, with landings way up for both commercial and recreational shellfishermen. In a voicemail left for the Gazette, Mr. Scheffer reported that to date commercial shellfishermen have landed over 2,000 bushels of scallops while recreational fishermen have landed 245 bushels.

As of last week, lines to the mainland had been reopened.

Bay scallopers in Chilmark are being asked to concentrate on Nashaquitsa Pond until early next month in order to make the most efficient use of a healthy crop of scallops this year.

The Chilmark selectmen voted Tuesday to close Menemsha Pond to scalloping from Nov. 21 through Dec. 3, and increase the daily limit in Quitsa to three struck bushels. The selectmen also agreed to open the area outside of Chocker’s Creek from the eastern buoy defining the closed area to the town line beginning Nov. 21.