PORTLAND, Maine — Good news for scallop fans. Already one of the most readily available higher-priced seafoods to consumers, the succulent shellfish could fall in price this year.
American harvests of scallops have grown in recent years, from 33.8 million pounds in 2014 to 40.5 million pounds in 2016, and are poised to go up again in 2018 due to a potential increase in the amount fishermen are allowed to bring to shore. Meanwhile, the U.S. has been importing even more scallops from countries such as China, Japan and Canada to meet consumer demand.
Some members of the seafood industry say it could be a recipe for the price of the shellfish to fall for consumers, who sometimes pay more than $20 per pound at supermarkets. Fishermen have received slightly less money for scallops at the docks in recent years — about $12 per pound in 2016, down about 50 cents from two years previously.
To read the rest of the story, please go to: The Associated Press
