GIANT SCALLOP FISHERY OF MAINE. 
333 
E.— PREPARATION OF PRODUCTS, MARKETS, ETC. 
17.— HANDLING THE CATCH, SHIPMENTS, ETC. 
The scallops which are considered large enough for market range in diameter from 
4 to 8 inches, averaging about 5^ inches. Few individuals less than 4 inches are ever 
utilized, the fishermen iu most places, with commendable forethought, either return- 
ing them to the water when brought up in the dredge along with the larger specimens 
or having the rings forming the bag of such size that the small ones pass through 
unharmed. 
From ninety to one hundred and ten scallops are usually required to fill a bushel 
measure. The largest specimens, perhaps, are secured around Mount Desert Island, 
while in the Sheepscot Eiver they are relatively smaller. 
In many localities a bushel of scallops, when shucked, will yield a gallon of meats. 
At Oastine, Little Deer Isle, and Cape Rosier, however, about bushels are usually 
required to shuck out a gallon of meats, and on the Sheepscot Eiver about 2 bushels 
are considered as equivalent to a gallon. The weight of a gallon of meats is 9 to 9^ 
pounds. 
Practically the entire production of scallops is placed on the market in a shucked 
condition, the few sales in the shell being either local or to fill special orders. 
After returning from the fishing grounds the fishermen repair to some spot on the 
shore or to an outhouse, and there, assisted in some localities by the women and 
children of their families, open the scallops, retaining the thick, firm adductor muscle 
(“eye” or “heart,” so called) and throwing away the mantles or “ skirts,” except iu 
the few instances noted. The meats are placed in buckets, boxes, firkins, etc., hold- 
ing from 1 to 20 gallons, and, when destined for more distant markets, are in a 
frozen condition or in cold storage during transportation. Shipments are commonly 
made by the fishermen themselves and not through the intervention of a local dealer. 
The scallops, except in rare instances, are sold on commission. 
It seems worthy of remark that the practice of soaking the meats, which is so 
prevalent at certain places on the Massachusetts coast and elsewhere, is not followed, 
so far as known, in Maine. By immersing the meats of the small scallop (P. irradians) 
in water from ten to sixteen hours, they are greatly increased in bulk, and the 
result is that what was originally a gallon becomes 1 gallon and 3 quarts. It is evi- 
dent that this is a profitable procedure. If for any reason, however, the sale of such 
meats is much delayed after reaching market and the surplus of water is lost by 
evaporation, the scallops are much inferior iu quality to those that have not been so 
manipulated. It is said that the inception of soaking of Massachusetts scallops may 
be attributed to the fact that the meat of the Maine species is so much larger that it 
was almost closing the Boston market against the small but equally palatable Pecten 
irradians. 
18.— MARKETS. 
Boston is now the principal market for scallops, receiving almost the entire output 
of certain centers. Smaller quantities are consigned to New York, Philadelphia, and 
numerous towns in Maine, among which may be mentioned Portland, Bangor, Augusta, 
and Belfast. When the shipping of scallops from Mount Desert Island first began, 
