Processing companies worldwide face the double pressure of raw material shortages and persistently high prices

Hokkaido Scallop Output Falls Further, Raising Concerns Over Global Supply

JAPAN
Tuesday, January 20, 2026, 05:30 (GMT + 9)

Projected 2026 production decline along Japan’s Okhotsk coast signals prolonged shortages and sustained high prices worldwide

Scallop production in Hokkaido, Japan, is set to decline by a further 15% in 2026, tightening global supply and increasing the likelihood that prices will remain elevated. According to a report released on January 15 by Japan’s Suisan Keizai, output along the Sea of Okhotsk coast is projected to fall to approximately 215,000 tons, marking another sharp contraction following the decline already recorded in 2025.

Photo: Stockfile/FIS

The continued downturn means that one of the world’s largest wild scallop-producing regions will remain under pressure, exacerbating supply shortages for international markets. As noted by Food World Beijing, global seafood processors are facing the combined challenges of raw material scarcity and persistently high prices, complicating procurement and production planning.

The Suisan Keizai report draws on forecast data from 12 fisheries cooperatives operating along the Okhotsk coast, where coordinated plans are in place to reduce catches from Soya in the north to Abashiri in the east. The most significant cut is expected in the northern Wakkanai region, where production is forecast to drop by 25% to around 84,100 tons. In contrast, the southern Kitami region is projected to see a more modest decline of 7%, bringing output down to 130,900 tons. Should these reductions be implemented as planned, Hokkaido’s scallop production in 2026 would fall to its lowest level since 2017.

Photo: Stockfile/FIS

Local fisheries associations attribute the ongoing decline to several factors, including insufficient planktonic food supplies over the past two years, slower scallop growth, and limitations imposed by rotational fishing systems designed to protect marine resources. Regions such as Soya, Sarutsu, Tsuro, and Saroma have all indicated that their 2026 output will be lower than in 2025, with Sarutsu planning the steepest cut at 43%, the largest reduction among surveyed areas.

The impact of reduced catches is already being felt downstream. Local processing companies reported that during 2025, shortages of raw scallops prevented some factories from operating at full capacity, and competition for supplies is expected to intensify further in 2026. While export prices for frozen scallop adductor muscles, locally known as “yuleng,” have eased slightly after reaching record highs last year, industry sources say prices remain elevated due to ongoing supply constraints.

Photo: Stockfile/FIS

Industry insiders believe that even with prices approaching their upper limits, inventory accumulation is unlikely. With Hokkaido’s production continuing to decline, the balance of supply and demand in both Japan’s domestic market and export markets is expected to remain tight, making a short-term drop in global scallop prices improbable.

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