The Catch Of The Day - Scallops
Knute Hogan, The Culinarian, February 2007

Typically in the United States, scallops are shucked from their shells and cleaned on board the fishing boats. Scallops cannot keep their shells tightly closed once they are removed from the water. Their viscera tends to dry out and can spoil rather quickly. Unlike other bivalves, scallops are mobile in water: their abductor muscle snaps their two shells open and shut, which propels them for up to twenty seconds (which seems a short period but is sufficient to allow them to move from harm's way).

The commercial fishery for scallops occurs year round, and is conducted using primarily dredges and otter trawls. Permits are issued to fishermen in March; the US Fishery Management measures include a moratorium on permits, days-at-sea restrictions, closed areas, and restrictions on gear and crew size. Landings are heaviest in the spring and summer and lowest in the winter, by which time most boats have used up all their days at sea.

Sea scallops are normally found at depths between 120 and 600 feet. Commercial concentrations generally exist between 120 and 300 feet in waters cooler than 68º F. Principal US commercial fisheries are conducted in inshore waters of the Gulf of Maine, on Georges Bank, and in the Mid-Atlantic offshore region.

Scallops can live up to 12 years. After 3 to 4 years, they have grown to a 30 to 40 count per pound, but are likely to be harvested at 6 to 8 years of growth. Spawning is triggered by warmer water temperatures which will also soften the meat, so it follows that scallops harvested in Virginia will not be as firm as the ones from New England.

What is widely enjoyed as scallops, are the high protein abductor muscles, the round white meat which connects a scallop's tissue to its shell. In many other countries, however, scallops are eaten with the roe attached to the adductor meat and live scallops, (which are eaten whole like clams or oysters), are growing increasingly popular.

There are several types of fresh scallops on the market, most of which are considered either dry or wet. Wet scallops are chemically treated with tripolyphosphate to extend their shelf life and keep them moist. Scallops allowed to be soaked to an 82% water content are still be considered a dry scallop. Dry scallops will clump together in a mass, have superior taste and texture, cream colored flesh, and an ocean-fresh aroma, which is not an indicator of poor quality. Wet scallops will have a whiter color, are shiny, will not stick to one another and will not caramelize. Fresh scallops are best stored in an airtight container on ice in the refrigerator.

Fresh scallops are usually sold in gallon containers which weigh 8 pounds or a 10 pound tray; frozen ones are available in 2- kilo and 5 pound blocks or IQF in 5 pound bags. Sizing is measured by how many scallops are in a pound. Most common sizes are 20/30, 10/20, U/10 and U/8.

North Atlantic sea scallops are harvested from Nova Scotia to Virginia and consistently average 10/40 count per pound. By comparison, bay scallops will run 80/120 per pound. A good rule to apply is, the bigger the scallop, the higher the cost.

Catches of the small calico scallops (that are found in the Gulf of Mexico) fluctuate wildly and can virtually disappear from the commercial market for several years. Sizing tends to be very small at 150/250 per pound.

Nantucket Bay scallops are a greatly prized shellfish harvested near Massachusetts in the early months of winter and typically carry a very high price making them a significantly specialized scallop for menus tailored to high end establishments.

The Pink Scallop from Washington and British Columbia, Canada is a wild stock harvested year round. These are a small shellfish sold most often in the shell; the size is roughly 15/20 count per pound in the shell. High demand from Asia has moved the cost up to a point that is prohibitive. There is a developing aquaculture method that will raise the scallops in mesh bags in Puget Sound, product expected to be available sometime this year.

The bay scallops from China originally came from the US. In the early 1980s, a shipment of New England bay scallops was sent to China, where a couple dozen animals successfully spawned. From that humble beginning, the Chinese now farm-raise several thousand tons of bay scallops a year in northeastern part of the country, much of which is exported to the United States. Canada and Japan also are large scallop producers joining China as top scallop exporters.

The giant Pacific weathervane scallop is one of several species of the true scallops and can be found in the eastern North Pacific Ocean. This scallop supports a sporadic commercial fishery with limited stocks in Alaska waters from Yakutat to the eastern Aleutians.

The Mano de Leon, or the Lion's Paw scallop is called so due to the unique shape of its shell resembling a lion's paw, and is native to the coastal waters of Central and North America--most commonly found off the coast of Baja, California. A very sweet flavored bay scallop comes from the same region and is somewhat larger, 60/80 to the pound, than its North Atlantic counterpart.

Although US sea scallop landings have declined over the years, there are signs that scallops are bouncing back with previously closed areas being opened again. The Nantucket Lightship area off Massachusetts (for instance), was opened in 2006 after being closed to commercial fishing for several years and produced a strong market share of the larger U/10 scallops and all indications point to more of the same this year. As of March 1, 2007, the Elephant Trunk area near Virginia will be reopening, the impact on the market is naturally unknown as is sizing and quality of the scallops.

The uses for these highly regarded shellfish vary tremendously and lend themselves very well to several applications: sautéed, grilled, poached, baked, as well as a sashimi or crudo items that prove them to be quite versatile. Scallops carry a strong name recognition that customers respond to very well, making it an excellent menu choice which will produce brisk sales.