- Better Choice
Commercial scallop
Latin name: Pecten fumatus
Common name: Scallop
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- Better Choice
Wild Caught
Region:
VIC
- This assessment is for diver-caught commercial scallops caught from Port Phillip Bay in Victoria.
- Be careful to choose dive-caught scallops caught in Victorian waters as a majority of commercial scallops are caught in Commonwealth waters using high-risk dredge fishing methods, which are red-listed on this guide.
- Victorian scallop populations are healthy.
- Hand collection has negligible bycatch and impact on local habitats.
- Though basic, fishery management is highly precautionary.
- The Victorian fishery is small-scale.
The best way to prepare scallops is to keep it simple to highlight their natural sweetness and delicate texture. Pat them dry, season, then sear in a hot pan with a bit of oil or butter for about 1–2 minutes per side until they develop a golden crust and remain tender inside. Avoid overcooking, they should still be slightly translucent in the centre. For extra flavour, finish with a squeeze of lemon or a quick butter sauce infused with garlic or herbs. Grilling or lightly poaching are also great options, but searing is the go-to for that perfect caramelised edge.
- Scallop Dive (Port Phillip Bay) Fishery (17t in 2022/23)
Commercial scallops are bivalves endemic to Australia that live within soft sediments throughout the southeast. Scallops are filter feeders, consuming plankton and organic waste.
In Victorian waters, commercial scallops are caught in Port Phillip Bay. The fishery is very small with only one current licence holder.
Commercial scallop populations are naturally highly variable, depending on a variety of environmental factors.
Though management is basic, commercial scallops in Victoria are harvested at highly precautionary levels and populations appear healthy.
The scallops are caught by hand, by divers using a hookah apparatus. This method of fishing has no significant impacts on bycatch, habitats or ecosystems.
The Victorian scallop dive fishery represents a highly sustainable alternative source of these high-value species.
