June 4, 2021 — The Atlantic sea scallop fishery — predominantly centered around New Bedford, Mass.; Point Judith, R.I.; Cape May, N.J.; and Norfolk, Va., ports — is the largest and most valuable wild scallop fishery in the world. Projected landings in the federal fishery are expected to be around 40 million pounds in 2021.
“The allocation was developed using survey data from 2020, and then projecting growth, harvest, natural mortality and recruitment,” says Jonathon Peros, fishery analyst and scallop lead at New England Fishery Management Council.
In 2019, commercial landings of Atlantic sea scallops totaled more than 60.6 million pounds (shucked meats) valued at around $570 million. Landings have dropped by 10 million pounds per year the last two years.
“This was expected,” adds Peros. “There were two exceptional year classes in 2012 and 2013 that the fishery has been catching. We are in the twilight of those two cohorts.”
Despite expected declines in landings this fishing year, prices in late April were up, particularly for the largest market grades (U10 and U12). Prices on the New Bedford auction surpassed $30 per pound for U10s and U12s. “Prices on all market grades are up from where they were at this time last year,” adds Peros.