Cape May, New Jersey, U.S.A.-based Lund’s Fisheries has announced a “major new investment” in its scallop operations, pushing forward with an upgrade to its infrastructure despite a downturn in scallop quota in the U.S. Northeast, its primary fishing ground.
Lund’s is purchasing a new USD 2 million (EUR 1.8 million) tunnel freezer for its Cape May facility. Designed and built by Skaginn 3X, part of the BAADER Group –BAADER took majority share of Skaginn in 2021 – the tunnel freezer will allow the company to increase its scallop freezing capabilities to 6,000 pounds per hour, doubling its current capacity.
Lund’s Fisheries said while it recognizes that while there is a current downturn in scallop quotas, the company is "committed to the future of the scallop fishery."
“We are incredibly proud of the scallop products that we offer, and this new investment will allow us to provide even more of our sustainable, high-quality seafood,” Lund’s Fisheries CEO Wayne Reichle said. “This is just the latest in our many investments to ensure our operations remain up to date and competitive.”
The company said the new freezer will allow more flexibility in its operations, including the ability to freeze multiple products at the same time and both fully freeze and crust freeze products using the same machine. It will also use a mechanical refrigeration plant, rather than nitrogen, making it more energy efficient and cost effective to operate.
In December 2022, The New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC) recommended a scallop quota with estimated landings of 25 million pounds for 2023 in the U.S. Northeast. That total is a steep decline from their peak in 2019, when the fishery landed over 60 million pounds of product.
However, the downturn is likely not permanent, as the NEFMC said surveys of the biomass in the region showed positive signs – including several areas with “new sets of seed scallops.”
Photo courtesy of Lund's Fisheries
