Great Atlantic Scallop

Biology and habitat

Species description
The Great Atlantic scallop is one of the main species of the family Pectinidae.

Geographical distribution and habitat
The Great Atlantic scallop lives in the North-East Atlantic.

Resource, exploitation and management

Stock and resource status/conservation measures
Minimum conservation reference size is established at 110 mm of total length in the Irish Sea and in the Eastern English Channel and 100 mm in other fishing areas.

Production methods and fishing gears
The main fishing gear used is the dredge.

Source: Information system on commercial designations

Catches

Evolution of world catches

• The global catches of scallops reached over 680.000 tonnes in 2023, 0,7% of the total global catches. Japan was by far the main provider of scallops, representing 48% of the global catches in 2023. Great Atlantic scallop catches reached around 78.650 tonnes in 2023 (almost 12% of the total production). The global production of Great Atlantic scallops from fisheries has increased by 41% between 2014 and 2023.

Source: FAO

Evolution of EU catches

• The EU catches of all species of scallop reached over 54.000 tonnes in 2023. Great Atlantic scallop is the main species caught by the EU fleet, accounting for 93% of the EU scallop production. The EU is the main producer of great Atantic scallop (64% of the world production).
• France is by far the main producer (87% of the EU production in 2023). Over the last decade, the Great Atlantic scallop’s production has increased by 92% and reached its highest levels in 2023.

Source: FAO

Aquaculture production

Evolution of world production

The world aquaculture production of scallops and other pectenidae reached over 2 million tonnes in 2023. China was by far the major producer with 90% of the world production. The production of the Great Atlantic scallop is however negligeable.

Source: FAO

Processing

There are 2 PRODCOM codes which partly refer to scallop:

• 10 20 32 50: “molluscs (scallop, mussels, cuttlefish, squid and octopus), frozen, dried, salted or in brine”.
• 10 20 34 00: “crustaceans, molluscs and other aquatic invertebrates and seaweed, otherwise prepared or preserved”.

In both codes, the share of Great Atlantic scallop is very limited.:

• In France, the fishing activity is seasonal, with the harvest period, typically running from October to mid-May and being collectively by the fishermen. Yet, consumer demand peaks during Christmas. For this reason, there is a significant activity of freezing, outside of the consumption period. In recent years, consumption of scallop meat has grown steadily. To meet this demand, most of first buyers start to develop their own processing capabilities for shucking scallops.
• In the United Kingdom, there are two types of processors for shucking scallops: i) large processors who own or have shares in fishing vessels and are primarly focused on export market; and ii) small processors who supply the domestic market.

(Source: Price structure analysis of scallops in the EU)

Trade

Combined nomenclature 

EU imports-exports (2024, EU-27)

EU trade of scallop products (tonnes - 2024)
Data concern Great Atlantic scallop and other scallop species. However, trade of fresh scallops concern mainly the Great Atlantic scallop. The other scallop species are likely to be imported frozen. Additionally, even though trade codes do not distinguish between meat and scallops in shell, a recent EUMOFA study suggests that EU imports from third countries are likely to involve scallop meat.

Source: EUROSTAT-COMEXT

Extra EU trade of Great Atlantic scallop is marginal as Extra-EU trade concerns other scallops’ species.

Extra-EU imports accounted for 21.138 tonnes in 2024, including around 6.000 tonnes of great Atlantic scallop (28% of extra-EU imports in volume). Great Atlantic scallop is imported to the EU fresh or frozen (respectively 66% and 34% of the EU imports of great Atlantic scallop), while other scallop species are imported frozen or smoked. Most fresh scallops imported to the EU come from the UK. Suppliers of frozen scallops to the EU market differ depending on the species. The UK is the main supplier of frozen great Atlantic scallop, while frozen imports of other scallop species come mainly from Argentina, Peru, Japan and Canada. France was the main importer of scallop in the EU, with 52% of EU imports volume in 2024. It was followed by Spain (23%), Belgium (8%) and Netherlands (10%).  

Extra-EU exports almost reached 2.000 tonnes in 2024. The main exporter was France (57% of the volume).

Source: EUROSTAT-COMEXT

Supply balance

EU supply balance (2023) – Tonnes of live weight equivalent - Scallops:
Data concern Great Atlantic scallop and other scallop species

Source: FAO/ EUROSTAT-COMEXT

Supply balance is provided for the year 2023 (trade data for 2023 were taken into account). Detailed trade data provided in the slide 5 and 6 concern the year 2024. 
The conversion factors were used to convert net weight of imports and exports of fishery and aquaculture products into live weight equivalents.
Production data concerns scallop species and not specifically Great Atlantic scallop.

Prices along the supply chain (EUR/kg)

Data concern Great Atlantic scallop and other species of scallop

First-sale (alive)
First-sale prices are provided for France and Ireland, the major EU producers

(*) From January to September 2025

Wholesale (fresh)
Wholesale prices are reported for Rungis, one of the major wholesale markets in the EU.

(*) From January to October 2025

Retail (fresh)
Retail prices are reported for France, the main EU scallop’s producer and consumer.

(*) last year available

Extra-EU import (frozen)
Scallops are mainly imported frozen to the EU. France is the main importer from third countries. 

(*) From January to September 2025

Extra-EU Export (frozen)
Export prices refer to Denmark and France, major EU exporters to extra-EU countries.

(*) From January to September 2025

Marketing

National lists of commercial designations

Information system on commercial designations and scientific names in all EU languages

Applicable marketing standards

There is one name protected under Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) for fresh scallop:
PGI “Coquille Saint-Jacques des Côtes d'Armor” in France.

Consumption

Scallops species are not among the 15th most consumed species in EU (source: The EU Fish Market – 2025 edition, EUMOFA

Apparent consumption per capita of scallops (all species included) in 2023: 0,31 kg live weight equivalent (source: Supply balance - 2023, EUMOFA).

Nutritional value (Great Atlantic Scallop, nutrition values per serving 100 g)