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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 Canada 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, Canadian

Sea scallop populations from Atlantic Canada are healthy and abundant. However, dredges used by these fisheries cause habitat damage and bycatch. Canadian Atlantic sea scallops are therefore a "Good Alternative."

A portion of the Eastern Canada offshore scallop fishery is certified as sustainable to the standard of the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC).

Consumer Note

Two kinds of scallops are sold: the marshmallow-sized sea scallop (sometimes called giant scallop) and the much smaller bay scallop.

Scallops use a strong, circular muscle to clap their shells together, letting them "fly" through the water and out of harm's way. It's this circular (abductor) muscle that's prized as seafood.

Summary

Sea scallops grow quickly and mature at a young age, traits that make them resilient to fishing pressure. Despite years of fishing, Canadian scallops are healthy and abundant.

Sea scallops are caught by dredging, which involves dragging a heavy frame with an attached mesh bag along the sea floor. This causes severe damage to seafloor habitats. In addition, dredging produces some bycatch, but Canadian fisheries management has implemented measures to reduce this.

Therefore, sea scallops from the Canadian Atlantic caught with dredge gear are considered a "Good Alternative."

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