Downeast Dayboat

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Downeast Dayboat Scallops are caught by small boats fishing day trips (leaving and returning the same day) within three miles of Maines rocky coast. The boats crew shucks the scallops, rinses them with sea water to remove bits of shell or sand, and packs them in containers marked with the date, time and location of harvest. Each afternoon, owner Togue Brawns meet the fishermen at the dock to take over custody of the scallops. Theyre delivered to you the next day. Having worked in the restaurant industry for 15 years, Togue appreciates the supremacy of a truly fresh product. Having managed Maine's scallop fishery for four years, she came to realize the price paid to a Maine fisherman for his 4 hour-old product was generally set by the much larger offshore fishery, comprised of boats that stay at sea an average of over 10 days. This impacts the resource, as Maines fishermen are hesitant to further reduce harvest levels in the face of an uncertain price. It doesnt have to be this way: bringing scallops directly from fisherman to chef could benefit restaurants, fishermen, consumers, and the resource.