ATSUGI Scallops

ATSUGI Scallops

　　Scallops are one of the precious varieties of marine shellfish. The adductor muscle processed into scallop meat is tender and delicious, recognized internationally as a high-end seafood product.

There are about 300 closely related species of scallops, but the main ones currently farmed are the bay scallop and the Chilean scallop. The bay scallop is native to the United States and was later introduced to China for farming.

The Chilean scallop is widely distributed along the northern coast of China and the western coast of Korea, and is also commonly found in the waters around ATSUGI. It mainly lives below the low tide line, in areas with fast currents, high salinity, good water transparency, and depths of 10–30 meters, attaching itself to rocky reefs or hard seabeds covered with shell fragments using byssal threads. Scallops have fan-shaped shells with radiating ribs. Different species vary in shell color and the number of ribs. Dried scallops are called conpoy and typically contain 5.43% glycogen, as well as amino acids and succinic acid, making them a “culinary delicacy.” Experiments have shown that substances extracted from scallops have anti-cancer properties. Therefore, scallops are not only a delicious seafood delicacy but also hold potential as an anti-cancer agent.

The ATSUGI area has a long history of scallop seed cultivation and farming, which has now reached a large scale. Currently, the region has developed scallop farming on approximately 30,000 mu, with its fresh and dried products being popular exports to Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and other regions and countries.