April 15, 2020 — On Saturday, folks came to Menemsha to buy directly off the decks of local scallop boats. Business was brisk. Captain Sam Hopkins, aboard the Endurance, mongered to a steady queue of masked customers. Like the nearby Martha Rose, sea scallops off the Endurance sold for $15 per pound.
“It was really nice to have some local support and have people who bought scallops right off the boat,” Hopkins said.
Lobsterman Jason Gale has also turned to direct boat sales. From the deck of the Watch Out at Lake Street Landing he sold lobsters at $8 apiece, regardless of weight, on Saturday. Gale said he put a 10 lobster cap per customer and sold out.
“I’ll just keep going as long as people want them,” he said.
Gale said the wholesale price was roughly $5.50 to $6 per pound
That jibes with an estimate from Beth Casoni, executive director of the Massachusetts Lobstermen’s Association.