Scallops, U.S. Dredged, Imported or "Wet" Scallops
Bay scallops farmed in Japan and China can sometimes be found on the U.S. market. There are certain benefits to farming scallops – heavy chemical use is not often required, there is a low feed input, and minimal pollution results from production. However, eating seafood shipped from across the globe encourages unnecessary use of fossil fuels when there are local options available.
Meanwhile, wild scallops on boats that stay at sea for many days are often treated with preservatives to keep them fresh until they are delivered to shore. These preservatives are not necessary on day boats (though they are sometimes used anyway). Untreated scallops are also often called “dry” scallops.
Most of the scallops on the U.S. market are wild-caught sea scallops from Canada or the United States. Although sea scallops are not currently overfished in the Atlantic, there are concerns with the way they are collected. Sea scallops are most often caught by dredging, which can damage the seafloor habitat and harm marine wildlife, including sea turtles.
For more information on the trouble with imported seafood, see Food & Water Watch’s 2007 report, Import Alert.
Recommended alternatives to dredged or imported scallops:
