March 23, 2024 — It’s not Godzilla. But a smaller, more succulent beast is emerging from the Pacific Ocean that could spell problems for the Port of New Bedford: 18 million pounds of imported Japanese scallops.
The 2023 scallop season ends this month, and it has been a challenging one for New Bedford’s most lucrative industry. It’s marked by increasing costs for vessel owners, fewer days at sea for fishermen and the lowest annual harvest in more than a decade.
It’s part of a natural cycle in the fishery, reflecting a recent decline in scallop populations along the East Coast. But unlike previous years, where fewer scallop landings have meant higher prices — balancing out the impact on seafood companies and their fishermen — this year, scallop prices have remained in an unexpected slump.
Through the “pandemic years,” as New Bedford scallopers fondly recall, 10-20 count scallops reached an unprecedented high, sometimes climbing over $30 per pound while remaining at an average of over $16. Through 2023, scallops of the same count dipped under $11 per pound and averaged around $13, according to data from New Bedford’s public seafood auction, the Buyers and Sellers Exchange (BASE).