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Seafood Watch - Seafood Guide

Sea Scallops

© Monterey Bay Aquarium
SEAFOODRATINGMARKET NAMESWHERE CAUGHTHOW CAUGHT
Bay Scallops Good Alternative: These are good alternatives to the best choices column. There are some concerns with how they are fished or farmed – or with the health of their habitats due to other human impacts. Catarina Scallop Magdalena Bay, Baja California Sur, Mexico Diver-caught
Pink Scallops Best Choice: These fish are abundant, well managed and fished or farmed in environmentally friendly ways. Smooth Pink, Reddish Scallops, Swimming Scallops Canadian Pacific Butterfly Trawl
Scallops Best Choice: These fish are abundant, well managed and fished or farmed in environmentally friendly ways. Scallops Worldwide Farmed
Sea Scallops Good Alternative: These are good alternatives to the best choices column. There are some concerns with how they are fished or farmed – or with the health of their habitats due to other human impacts. Giant Scallop, Hotate U.S. Atlantic Dredged
Sea Scallops Best Choice: These fish are abundant, well managed and fished or farmed in environmentally friendly ways. Lion-Paw Scallop Laguna Ojo de Liebre and Guerrero Negro, Baja California Sur, Mexico Diver-caught
Sea Scallops Good Alternative: These are good alternatives to the best choices column. There are some concerns with how they are fished or farmed – or with the health of their habitats due to other human impacts. Chilean Scallop, Fan Scallop, Peruvian Calico Scallop Sechura Bay, Peru Diver-caught
Sea Scallops Good Alternative: These are good alternatives to the best choices column. There are some concerns with how they are fished or farmed – or with the health of their habitats due to other human impacts. Giant Scallop, Digby Scallop, Hotate, Petoncles Canadian Atlantic Dredged
Spiny Scallops Best Choice: These fish are abundant, well managed and fished or farmed in environmentally friendly ways. Pink, Pacific Pink, Swimming Scallops Canadian Pacific Butterfly Trawl
Weathervane Scallops Best Choice: These fish are abundant, well managed and fished or farmed in environmentally friendly ways. Alaska scallops Alaska Dredged


Sea Scallops, US Atlantic

Wild-caught sea scallops from the U.S. Atlantic are a "Good Alternative."

Consumer Note

The Atlantic sea scallop ranges from the Gulf of St. Lawrence and Newfoundland, Canada; to Cape Hatteras, North Carolina in the U.S. This recommendation applies to the U.S. fishery only.

Summary

Scallops are typically found on sand and gravel bottoms. The U.S. Atlantic scallop fishery uses almost entirely bottom dredges, which have moderate to high impacts on seafloor habitats. This causes concern due to the sheer size of this fishery.

Despite these challenges, management has been effective, restoring previously depleted stocks and controlling areas open to fishing. In addition, regulations mandate "turtle deflector dredges" to help avoid killing or injuring loggerhead sea turtles.

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