Hokkaido scallop season peaks as processors struggle with high costs

JAPAN
Monday, February 09, 2026, 04:00 (GMT + 9)

Rising catches in eastern Hokkaido bring relief to fishermen, but falling prices and stubbornly high processing costs continue to squeeze the industry. The peak scallop harvesting season in Hokkaido, Japan, has arrived, particularly in the Notsuke–Odaishinuma area of eastern Hokkaido, yet local processors say the business environment remains challenging despite improved catches. According to a report by Food World (Beijing), the scallop fishing season in the Notsuke–Odaishinuma fjord area, located along the Nemuro Strait at the southern edge of the Sea of Okhotsk, is now in full swing. While this year’s catch has increased significantly, prices have retreated from last year’s historic highs, and high raw material procurement costs continue to weigh heavily on processors. Map of the study area illustrating the scallop-farming region along the co... FULL STORY