The prices are at the lowest, it’s time to enjoy the scallop

The season closes for the shell. In a few days, all boats will have tidy the dredges and sailors will turn the page on a 2024-2025 campaign marked by globally favorable conditions.

For the Channel and the Bay of Seine, professionals are now taking stock: fished volumes, quality of the resource, average auction and management prospects for the years to come.

An easier campaign

“There was shell in the bay of Seine, but it was more dispersed than usual,” notes Daniel Harachepresident of the Trouville-sur-Mer fishermen’s union. They were not large grouped tasks, like some winters, but rather small deposits distributed everywhere. Result: it was easier to work, because the boats were less embarrassed ”he sums up.

Despite these favorable fishing conditions, the beginning of 2025 marked A clear slowdown in demand. “We don’t really know why. Perhaps because of the general economic context, or because there were a lot of shells in other areas, such as in Saint-Brieuc or Haute-Normandie bay, ”says Daniel Harache. The fact remains that “the courses were not there”.

€ 6 for a minimum purchase of 3 kg

The Bay of Seine closed on March 27, earlier than some years. “As it sold badly, we had fewer tides to do,” he analyzes.

And today, The shell is at broken prices.

It’s clearly the time to buy them. The kilo is negotiated between 4 and 5 € depending on the quantity.

Among fishmongers, the decline is felt less strongly but the shell appears at € 6 for a minimum purchase of 3 kg: “They must make their margin, they do not sell much more than usual. But it is still 1 to 2 euros less per kilo, it is not negligible ”.

The official end of the campaign is planned in mid-May. “Half of the boats have already left for fish fishing,” he concludes.

Follow all the news in your favorite cities and media by registering for my news.

• #Scallop shells
• #Fishing