Fourth of July – it is the Super Bowl of the scallop industry and every minute counts, a satisfied customer told our North American regional manager Siggi Skúlason in a conversation earlier this week.
Scallops have always been a household favorite on Independence Day, and last year the delicacy made a return on the menus of casual restaurants as predicted by Blue Harvest Fisheries vice president of sales Sean Moriarty in an interview with Undercurrent News.
However, as supply slowed, prices rose, and scallops again slid off the menus of the likes of the Olive Garden and Applebee’s. But that has not dented demand, and responsibly harvested scallops continue to contribute rising in the overall commercial value of seafood.
In fact, Massachusetts, where lucrative scallops are landed, ranked second in commercial value in 2017 at $605.3 million. New Bedford ranked number one for the 18th consecutive year, with landings of 111 million pounds, valued at $389 million.
Americans consumed 16 pounds of fish and shellfish per capita in 2017, the latest figures available from the Fisheries of the United States show, and the word on the docks is that the trend continues.
The Maryland-based National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) says that wild-caught Atlantic sea scallop is a smart seafood choice because it is sustainably managed and responsibly harvested under US regulations. According to the NOAA’s latest stock assessment, Atlantic sea scallops are not overfished and in good health.
That is great news for Siggi, who we at Skaginn 3X call the scallop king. Siggi has been fortunate to work with some of the leading fisheries firms in the industry for over 20 years. The relationship has been a fruitful one, especially since he shares the same vision as our customers—an innovative and independent spirit, as well as the key aim of providing consumers with sustainably sourced seafood of the highest quality.
Happy Fourth of July!
