Mussel, Clam & Scallop: BC Seafood Online

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BC Seafood Fact Sheets
Mussel, Clam
& Scallop

Latin Name:
Mytilus edulis, Tapes philippinarum, Protohaca staminea, Chlamys hastata, Chlamys rubida

Other Common Names:
Blue Mussel, Manila Clam, Littleneck Clam, Spiny Scallop, Pink Scallop

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Description: The blue mussel is the most common mussel found along the Pacific coast. Its shell is dark blue and usually 5 cm (2 inches)to 7.5 cm (3 inches) in length. The meat ranges from creamy-tan to brownish-orange in colour with a texture that is tougher than that of a clam or oyster. Its flavour is rich and sweet.

While butter clams predominated intertidal clam landings up until the mid-1970s, a change in market demands for clams has led to landings dominated by Manila clams and littleneck clams since 1981. Manila clam shells tend to be longer and flatter than those of littlenecks, and feature variable patterns. Littleneck clam shells have less prominent concentric rings, stronger radiating ribs and a more rounded shape than Manila clams. Littleneck clams can reach a maximum size of 70 mm (2 1/2 inches) while their legal harvest size is 38 mm (1 1/2 inches) measured at the greatest breadth of the shell. Manila clams can grow to a maximum size of 75 mm (3 inches) while their legal harvest size is also 38 mm (11/2 inches). The raw meat of both clams is translucent and ranges in colour from ivory to golden brown. Its texture is firm and resilient and the flavour is sweet and briny.

The spiny scallop and pink scallop both have distinctive fluted, fan-shaped shells that are ivory and pink in colour. While adult scallops reach about 85 mm (3 1/3 inches) in size, a minimum size limit of 55 mm (2 inches) measured through the longest diameter of the shell perpendicular to the hinge is in effect for both species. The meat colour ranges from ivory to pinkish-white and can have a tender yet sometimes chewy texture. Its flavour is sweet and moist.

Product Forms: Most shellfish are available live, fresh (shell-on or shucked) or frozen. Scallops are almost always sold shucked because they cannot close their shells completely and thereby lose their moisture very quickly once they are taken out of the water. Canned mussels, smoked mussels, canned clams and clam jerky may also be available.

Availability: Farmed and wild shellfish are available year-round, although wild harvests may be interrupted in the summer during spawning.

Buying Tips: Mussels: To ensure that mussels are alive and fresh, look for tightly closed shells or shells that snap shut when tapped. Avoid mussels that have broken shells, feel heavy (they are usually full of sand) or feel light and loose when shaken (they are usually dead). Shucked mussels should have plump meat with clear liquid. Smaller mussels will be more tender than large ones.

Clams: The shells of whole clams should be tightly shut, heavy, moist and have a slight briny aroma. Avoid shells that are chipped, broken or damaged. If a shell is slightly open, tap it lightly and if it doesn’t snap shut, the clam is dead and should be discarded. Shucked clams should have plump meat with clear liquid.

Scallops: Fresh scallop meats should appear shiny, firm and hold their shape. They should have a sweet and briny aroma. Avoid scallops that smell sour or of iodine. The meat colour should be ivory to pinkishwhite. Avoid scallop meat that is stark white since this is an indication that they have been soaked in water to increase the weight.

Storing Tips: Mussels: Mussels can be kept alive for 3 to 4 days when properly stored. They should be stored dry in a refrigerator below 10° C (50° F). Do not immerse in water; avoid temperature variations, and; ensure the product is able to breathe and drain.

Clams: Clams can be kept alive for up to 7 days when kept at 1° C (34° F) and sprayed regularly with fresh seawater. Ensure that live clams can breathe by storing them in an open box or sack.

Scallops: Fresh scallop meats should be stored in muslin bags and buried in ice. Ensure ice is changed frequently to prevent spoilage. Fresh scallops should be eaten within a day or two. Store frozen scallop meats at -29° C (-20° F).

Processing Method: Shellfish can be steamed, baked, deep-fried, pan-fried or battered. They are often used in soups, chowders, stews, paellas, pastas, casseroles and canapes. Avoid overcooking shellfish as meat will become tough and grainy if cooked too long. If the shells of live shellfish do not open during cooking, they are either not cooked through enough or are bad and should be discarded.

Preparation/Usage: Just before cooking mussels, soak them in cold water for about 20 minutes to reduce the amount of sand and salt stored inside of the shells. Then remove the beard and scrub the shells. A whole mussel will be cooked when the shell has opened, although mussels will open before they are cooked all the way through.

To prepare clams, soak them in cold water for about 20 minutes to reduce the amount of sand and salt stored inside of the shells. Then, remove the sand and ... cont top right

debris from the shells with a brush. Whole clams will only take a few minute to cook and will be cooked through when the shells open. Cook gently to avoid toughening.

When preparing scallops, do not overcook so that the succulent flavour is preserved. They will only take a few minutes to cook and are best when cooked until the outer surfaces turn solidly opaque. Do not overcrowd scallops in a skillet or they will give off their liquid and will be poached rather than sauteed.

Area of Origin and Range of Availability: Most of these shellfish species are found on the west coast of North America from Alaska to California. In British Columbia they are harvested predominantly on the west coast of Vancouver Island and in the Strait of Georgia.

Harvest Volume: British Columbia annually produces about 2,400 tonnes of clams (wild and farmed) and 90 tonnes of scallops (wild and farmed). While limited information is available for mussels, it is estimated that a total of 10 tonnes of mussels are harvested annually. Approximately 35% of the clam harvest and 45% of the scallop harvest comes from shellfish aquaculture.

Harvest Method: In British Columbia, mussels, clams and scallops are both harvested in the wild and farmed using aquaculture. As examples, cultured mussels are harvested from rafts or longlines, usually by hoist and winch; wild clams are handpicked using rakes, and; divers harvest wild scallops.

Processing Method: Once harvested, shellfish is declumped (if farmed), cleaned, graded and shipped live to market. Most scallops are then shucked to preserve the freshness and moisture.

Markets: Most British Columbian shellfish is exported to the United States and Asia.

Sustainability: Minimum size limits, daily harvest limits, area licensing and time and area closures are currently in place to manage the wild clam commercial fishery. Fisheries and Oceans Canada discontinued commercial scallop licences at the end of 1999 due to concerns that the scallop fishery, as a whole, was data limited and there were few controls in this fishery. Currently, however, a closely monitored experimental scallop fishery exists which lands approximately the same amount of product as the unmonitored fishery of previous years. While the shellfish farming industry is being closely monitored for its environmental interaction, shellfish farming is on the increase and estimated to double by 2010.

Historical and Anecdotal Information: Archaeological findings note that mussels have been used as food for over 20,000 years. While mussels are harvested in the wild in British Columbia, a pilot project was carried out in the early 1980s to determine the potential for growing blue mussels. This was met with several obstacles which are slowly being overcome. Now blue mussels are being cultured on a small scale and on the verge of developing into a larger fishery.

Scallops have been harvested commercially in BC since 1982 and continues today as an experimental fishery.

While littleneck clams account for about 10% of British Columbia¡'s intertidal clam harvest, Manila clams account for more than 65% of the harvest. Manila clams, like the Pacific oyster, are not indigenous to the Pacific Northwest but were accidentally introduced. Some clam seed was inadvertently included with Pacific oyster seed brought from Japan in the 1930s, and the first specimens were found in Ladysmith Harbour in 1936.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION
Per 3.5 oz/100 grams of raw edible portion

	Blue Mussel	Mixed Clam	Mixed Scallop
Calories	86	74	88
Total fat	2.24	.97	.076
Saturated fat	0.43	0.09	0.08
Protein	11.9	12.8	16.78
Cholesterol	28.0	34.0	33.0
Sodium	286.0	56.0	161.0

Source: USDA

For Additional Information And A List Of Current Product Suppliers, Contact:

BC Shellfish Growers Association

350-B Robson Street,

Nanaimo, British Columbia,

Canada V9R 2V5

Phone: 250.714.0804

Fax: 250.714.0805

email: info@bcsga.ca

website: www.bcsga.ca