Record-breaking year for French scallops
There has been a bumper crop of the popular seafood
France produces 91% of the EU’s scallops
Irina So/Shutterstock
The number of scallops has reached record levels in France’s two main fishing areas, the French Institute for Ocean Science (Ifremer) said on Tuesday.
The fishing season for French scallops began on October 1 in the bay of the Seine and October 2 in Saint-Brieuc bay, both on France’s northern coast.
"The abundance of scallops has reached a new historic record this year," in the bay of the Seine, Ifremer said in a statement.
Shoppers will notice the start of the season by the sudden appearance of the shellfish, called coquilles Saint-Jacques in French, on market stalls and in supermarkets.
They are particularly popular at Christmas time in France, where they are often eaten as the traditional starter during the Christmas meal.
In the bay of the Seine, the quantity of scallops that have reached the minimum regulatory size of 100mm or more is estimated at over 137,000 tonnes, a 56% increase compared to last year and smashing the previous record of 105,000 set in 2022.
In Saint-Brieuc bay, The quantity of scallops that have reached the minimum regulatory size is over 58,000 tonnes, up 5% compared to 2023. The number could reach 78,000 tonnes by mid-December.
Read more: Scallop season begins in Normandy: how to buy and cook them
Scallops are fished along France’s northern and western coastline from early October until late May.
“These results demonstrate the success of the management measures implemented in the Bay of Seine since 2016,” said Ifremer, which also forecast an increase in the scallop population for the 2025 season.
“The introduction of a rotational fallow has not only allowed a significant increase in the scallop population over the past 8 years, but also a relatively homogeneous distribution of the biomass between the different areas of the bay.”
Ifemer carries out tests at France’s main scallop spots each year to assess the population and ensure sustainable practices.
France is the largest producer of scallops in the EU, producing 91% of all EU scallops in 2021.
It strictly controls scallop fishing, imposing a seven-month window to give the scallops time to reproduce and replenish in the off months. During the fishing season, fishers are subject to rules that can include quotas and even specific times when they are allowed to fish.
