A Step by Step Guide to Scalloping on Nantucket

Scalloping on Nantucket is an age-old tradition, dating back thousands of years with the Wampanoag people harvesting shellfish—including bay scallops—on Nantucket long before European settlement.

In the mid-20th-century residents and visitors began the tradition of recreational scalloping or wading/push-raking for scallops for personal use. Today, Nantucket is widely cited as home to the oldest sustainable bay-scallop fishery and one of the last places with a regularly harvested wild stock.

If you want to try your hand at the tradition, we’ve put together a step by step how-to:

1) Confirm the season, days, hours & closures

Season typically runs Oct. 1 – March 31 for recreational bay scallops. You can scallop Wednesday–Sunday only. Some years the town or state may extend the season (e.g., to Apr 11 in 2025). Always check for that year’s notice.

Legal hours: From ½ hour before sunrise to ½ hour before sunset.

2) Get your permit & wear the button

Anyone 14+ needs a Recreational Shellfish Permit and must display the permit button while scalloping. Pick one up at the Public Safety Facility, 4 Fairgrounds Rd. Fees: $35 resident; free 60+; $125 non-resident annual; $50 non-resident for one week.

3) Grab some gear

What you’ll need: Belted waders or wetsuit, push rake, floating basket/clam basket on an inner tube, waterproof gloves, and a scallop knife for later. If you’ll snorkel, you must display a dive flag within 100 ft of the diver.

Where to get it: Nantucket Tackle Center has everything you need for scalloping or any kind of fishing.

4) Pick a spot & time it with the tide

Productive areas change year to year. In general, try the inner harbors (Nantucket Harbor/Monomoy–Shimmo–Head of Harbor, Polpis Harbor, Madaket Harbor) and work at or near low tide. Always verify currently open areas with the town map before heading out.

5) Know what’s legal to keep (the big three rules)

Size: Keep scallops with a well-defined growth ring ≥ 10 mm from the hinge; or if the ring is closer than 10 mm, the shell must be ≥ 2.5 in (63.5 mm) tall. Return “seed” gently.

Limit: 1 level bushel per person per week (recreational).

Methods: Hands, dip nets, rakes, tongs only (no drags for recreational). Kids under 14 can participate but their catch counts toward the permit holder’s limit.

6) On the water: how to harvest

Wade or snorkel and push-rake gently through the grass; scallops often sit around eelgrass beds. Work carefully to avoid tearing vegetation.

Cull as you go: check for the growth ring/size and release seed immediately.

7) After the harvest

Shucking: Use a scallop knife to open at the hinge and keep only the white adductor muscle. Chill promptly.

Shell recycling (recommended): Drop clean shells at the town’s shell recycling pile (e.g., 188 Madaket Rd during season) to support local restoration.

Annual catch report: When renewing your license you’ll be asked to report your prior season’s recreational catch.