Marine scientists are losing hope for a rebound in the scallop population in eastern Long Island. Nearly 95 percent of the scallop population were wiped out last year.
Mortality rates so far this year have cast recovery in doubt.
Stony Brook University researcher Bassem Allam said the scallops analyzed this year have been infected with the same parasitic disease that infected scallops last year.
“Until we understand the interaction between environmental factors and this disease and how both impact scallops health, anything I tell you will be tentative and speculative,” Allam said.
Scientists also believe high temperatures and low oxygen levels in the water have also contributed to the dieoff.