What is the difference between sea&bay scallops?
Scallops are mollusks prized for their tender meat. Sea scallops and bay scallops are the two main varieties of scallop harvested for sale as food.HabitatBay scallops’ natural habitat is in bays and estuaries on the East coast of the U.S. Sea scallops live in open water of the North Atlantic, off the New England coast and off the North Pacific coast from Alaska to Oregon.SizeBay scallops grow to about 4 inches in diameter, with a meat inside of about 1/2 inch diameter. Sea scallops can grow up to 8 inches in diameter with a meat of about 2 inches in diameter.ShellBay and sea scallops have similar shells, with the bay scallop shell being smaller and having deeper and more grooves and serrations at the edges.AbundanceThe most commonly harvested scallop is the New England sea scallop, whose scientific name is Placepten magellinacus. Bay scallops are also harvested for food, but there are fewer of them, so they are pricier for consumers.
