Kilmore Quay, Premium, Fresh, King Scallop

Centred around the fishing village of Kilmore Quay in Co. Wexford, the king scallop fishery, off the southeast coast, is the largest scallop fishery, in Ireland.

BIM has been actively working with the Kilmore Quay scallop industry since 2000, to put in place a management system to develop a sustainable fishery producing a premium product. These practical management plans will be incorporated into the Shellfish Management Framework, which is currently being structured. This is an initiative involving State and industry in a collaborative approach to the management of Ireland’s inshore resources.

Responsible activities

Key management decisions on the scallop stock are based on comprehensive scientific assessments of the scallop resource and are conducted using information from the local fleet, the processing industry and fisheries independent methods. Information on the size, age, meat quality and condition of landings supplements this data and is routinely collected throughout the season.

Seabed mapping using sonar imagery allows vessels to be selective in their fishing practices and reduce the potential for seabed damage. BIM have also promoted sustainable fishing practices and have trialled a release panel, which is fitted to the dredges and allows juvenile scallop and other marine organisms to be released during fishing operations.

Quality grading

When taken onboard, all scallops are handled with care to reduce stress in the adductor muscle, which is the edible white meat. Premium grade scallops are taken only from the last two days of fishing and these are shucked from their shell and washed with no soaking or glazing. The meats are size graded and packed on ice according to buyers’ requirements, and are guaranteed as a premium quality product.

Customers can be confident that:

• Freshness is guaranteed as only scallops caught during the last two days of the fishing trip qualify for the scheme;
  
  
• Scallops are not soaked;
  
  
• Scallops are from local, sustainably managed scallop beds;
  
  
• Environmentally friendly and responsible fishing methods are used in the fishery;
  
  
• Juveniles are returned to the wild;
  
  
• Scallops are fully traceable back to the boat and catch area.

The Kilmore Quay King Scallop leaflet is available for download in pdf format below.