GIS-based multicriteria analysis for on-bottom aquaculture of the sea scallop, Placopecten magellanicus, in St Pierre and Miquelon, a sub-Arctic French archipelago (NW Atlantic)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.3989/scimar.05652.118Keywords:
sea scallop, Placopecten magellanicus, GIS habitat mapping, site selection, bottom aquaculture, Saint Pierre and MiquelonAbstract
The seafood industry of Saint Pierre and Miquelon (SPM) was severely impacted by the collapse of the Eastern Canadian cod fishery, which led to the 1992 moratorium. This underscored the need for diversification strategies to sustain the local economy. Scallop aquaculture (Placopecten magellanicus) has since been developed on a limited scale, but spatial expansion is required to ensure long-term economic viability. In 2008, a comprehensive research and development programme was launched to address this need. This study focuses on the critical stage of site selection, applying a GIS-based multi-criteria approach to identify suitable areas for on-bottom scallop aquaculture. Acoustic and video surveys, combined with ground-truthing, produced the first large-scale seabed habitat maps of eastern SPM. These maps also provide a geospatial database to support coastal zone management and decision-making in the archipelago. The results identified 8335 ha suitable for aquaculture, subdivided into areas for public stock enhancement and leasing grounds for private operations. Suitable areas are not a limiting factor for expansion, and a 2724-ha zone was identified as the most appropriate for leasing, supporting a potential annual production of ~100 t, based on existing equipment and a current five-year rearing cycle at 4 ind. m–². Habitat characterization also enables optimal matching of dredge types (New Bedford vs toothed crossbar) to seabed conditions, minimizing future benthic impacts. Management recommendations and research priorities are discussed, with particular emphasis on addressing the availability of juveniles for seeding. Large-scale development is constrained by juvenile supply, necessitating optimization of spat collection and/or hatchery production. These findings lay the foundation for a strategic aquaculture growth plan, positioning scallop farming as a key contributor to the long-term economic resilience of the SPM archipelago alongside traditional fisheries.
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