ELLSWORTH, Maine — December 1, 2014 — If you like fresh Maine scallops that have been out of the water only a day or two, this is the time of year to enjoy them — but you had better be ready to pay for the privilege.
Maine’s 2014-15 scallop season opened Monday at a time when fishermen are getting prices at or near the highest they have seen, which means consumers will be shelling out more than they are used to for savory seafood.
Opening-day prices in Maine, where fishermen with state licenses will have up to 70 days spread out over the next five months to drag or dive for scallops, are around $13 to $14 per pound, people involved with the fishery said Monday. That’s higher than the average price Maine fishermen had last winter, which at $12.24 was the highest such average ever recorded in Maine, according to statistics compiled by the state Department of Marine Resources.
Reggie Young, the scallop buyer for Maine Shellfish in Ellsworth, said daily auctions for scallops held in New Bedford, Massachusetts, have generated “really high” prices, but he is not sure whether they will be matched by Maine dealers as landings start coming in.