Larval settlement,juvenile growth and the potential use of spatfall indices to predict recruitment of the scallop Pecten alba tate in Port Phillip Bay,Victoria, Australia

Settlement of the scallop, Pectan alba, in artificial collectors and the growth of juvenile scallops were examined in relation to separately obtained estimates of annual recruitment in Port Phillip Bay, Southeastern Australia. A single, annual settlement during October–December was observed during the 3 year study. Settlement was greatest in collectors immersed for 2 months in the middle of the water column. Spat grew to 60 mm shell length during their first 12 months and attained a recruitment size of 70 mm within 16–18 months. Settlement during one year can, therefore, be related to recruitment during the next. From the data available so far, high and low settlement has been reflected in subsequent differences in recruitment. Though more years' data are required, indices of spatfall may provide managers of this industry with the possibility of predicting major fluctuations in recruitment 1 year in advance.