Scallop Season Kicks Off in Wakkanai, Hokkaido

The scallop fishing season has begun in northern Japan, with the first hauls of the year unloaded at Wakkanai Port on Monday.

The Sea of Okhotsk coast in Hokkaido typically provides one of the country’s largest scallop harvests. Local officials report that catches have been lower than usual since last year due to rising sea temperatures and a decline in plankton, the scallops’ primary food source. The season is expected to continue until November.