When they spot a shell, they bend over and pick it up like a gardener bends to pull a weed. This season's scallop drought could hurt tourism in Port St. Joe, a town some see as already fighting to survive hard times. Many blame the scallop shortage on red tide - a toxic algae bloom that kills marine life. Red tide moved into the bay last fall when scallops spawned, many noted. That's not necessary, said Dr. William Arnold, a scientist with the Florida Marine Research Institute.
Scallops have a one-year lifespan.
This just happens to be an off year, he said. That happens with bay scallops. They only live one year. The state agency surveys bay scallops each June. St. Joe Bay's population this season is the worst since the state began counting in 1994, Arnold said.