Waltney Seafood markets fresh wild-caught scallops

When Walter and Courtney White decided to start their own business selling wild scallops together, they started it with a shared appreciation for scallops and a bond that dates back to their youth.

Walter said they wanted to be able to provide a good product to others in New Bedford, the largest scallop port in the world, with their wild-caught scallops from Waltney’s Seafood Co.

“We thought we had a good opportunity because we already had the fishing boats, and that’s why we wanted to start sharing them with everyone,” he said.

Walter’s family owns his fishing boats, acquiring the Madi J about 15 years ago, followed five years later by the Raeleen Michelle and two years ago the Chandler Rae, formerly Hear No Evil. All three are named after his sisters.

Courtney said it’s an advantage to have scallops year-round since they have more than one boat in operation.

“It really is a luxury to be able to taste some of the best seafood in the world, so we just want to celebrate that and share that natural bounty,” she said.

As a shore-based engineer, Walter performs maintenance work and rehabilitates the boats, while Courtney cleans the scallop boats between trips, and they learn along the way. They also grew closer to their crew and the ship’s captain.

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Walter has been working for four years on Pope’s Island, New Bedford, on the property his uncle owns. Benefits include the space it offers and connections with other boat owners.

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“It’s nice to see our product,” he said. “We never add chemicals. They are caught freshly off our boats.

Courtney said they were sold as nature intended. She likes to call scallops the filet mignon of the sea.

The challenges of scalloping

Walter said the length of time scallop boats go out to sea varies, but is typically between four and 12 days. There can be different sized scallops in different areas and at different times of the year, and if the scallops are plentiful, the less time the crew will spend cutting, he said.

“Sometimes if they open up a new area for us, there are a lot of big scallops in that area and it’s usually very good,” he said. “Other times, when an area has been open for a while, it takes a lot of work to get the amount we need. »

Although the New York Bight was recently opened to scallops this year, he said there weren’t as many scallops in that area so the captain and crew were working the first week of June to complete this journey.

“Usually the two-dredger boat does about 3,000 pounds a day, but right now in this area with the two-dredger boat it’s only doing about 1,500 a day,” he said. he declares. “It can range from good to bad, and it’s important to address these areas when things are going well.”

The Madi J and the Raeleen Michelle have full-time licenses for one dredge and the Chandler Rae has a full-time license for two dredgers.

There are different types of dredgers, including a rock dredger used in the canal where there are a lot of rocks, and a turtle dredger which helps turtles escape once they are caught in the dredge. It can only be used in certain areas, especially a soft bottom area.

Walter said they currently have 20 open zone days and three closed zone trips, but it varies.

“The boat ends up only operating 40 or maybe 50 days a year – actually fishing – which leaves it 300 days when it’s just sitting at dock,” he said.

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From friends to family

Walter and Courtney have known each other since they were kids and reconnected in 2016. Her family always had scallops fresh off the boat and in their freezer and would pass them out to friends and family, and Courtney was always a sweetheart seafood. .

“We really started thinking about this business in 2022 because we have scallops whenever we want them, so we know how good they are,” she said. “We saw an opportunity to really share them with the community, educate people about where their food comes from and give a behind-the-scenes look at the life of a scallop.”

When Walter’s nephew Jayce White, 10, suggested they combine their names and call it Waltney’s, they decided to go ahead and name their new business Waltney’s Seafood Co.

He said they also wanted to expand elsewhere and recently purchased a freezer van so they could travel to deliver their scallops to a wider area. They sell most of their scallops where they live.

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Selling scallops at farmers markets

Courtney was born and raised in Acushnet, and Walter grew up in Acushnet and Portsmouth, Rhode Island, where they purchased a home in 2018.

Since living in Rhode Island, they visited their local farmers market and realized it was the best way to meet the community. They were invited to set up at the Tiverton Farmers Market and felt inspired and motivated for the rest of the week, she said.

Another vendor said he would have to sell his scallops at the Pawtucket Farmers Market on Friday evening, which was followed by a call to join the Jamestown Farmers Market as they needed a vendor who could supply fruit sea.

She said people had a lot of questions about scallops, which surprised them, but they were more than happy to answer them.

“They ask us a lot of questions about scallops in general, and there are even people who don’t know they come in a shell or who have only seen a bay scallop and don’t know the difference between bay scallops and bay scallops. bay scallop and sea scallop, or whether what they get is imported or not,” she said.

Walter likes to talk about the health benefits of scallops. He said they are a great source of protein, help with heart disease and cholesterol levels, produce omega-3s and contain healthy fats.

The small, second-generation family fishery places emphasis on using social media to raise awareness of the business and any changes it makes in the future. Scallop recipes will also be posted on their social media channels.

They are on Facebook and Instagram as @WaltneysSeafoodCo, and orders can be submitted by texting 508-965-0129 on their website.

Share Scallop Recipes

Courtney said cooking scallops can be intimidating, but it’s easier than you think if the product is good – whether you cook them in a pan with oil or butter, salt and pepper or want to have fun with a formal recipe.

Walter’s aunt is a chef and helps Courtney with different recipe ideas. She said she is excited to share these recipes online in the future, including traditional recipes from Portugal and Mozambique that are enjoyed in the New Bedford and Fall River areas.

“We are finding our niche. We are looking at where we are going to be in the future, but I would say our main goals would be to one day ship our products anywhere in the country or even outside the country if people want to taste the fruits of New England Sea. she says.

Another goal is to offer various types of seafood from Rhode Island after establishing connections with Rhode Island fishermen and lobstermen.

Walter started out doing oil changes and working on engine components, after riding dirt bikes as a professional motocross rider, he oversees and cares for their family’s boats.

Since he started working on the docks, he said he has learned how to do electrical and metal work and has learned how to communicate well with the people he works with, he said .

“Safety is also very important, which is why it is always important for me to do all the safety drills for all the guys who get on our boat, having been trained at the School of Marine Science and Technology in New Bedford,” he said.

Courtney said Walter embraced the culture and found his passion. He said he also enjoyed meeting all the different characters who were willing to share their knowledge.

“We’re learning every day here,” he said.

Standard-Times Staff Writer Kathryn Gallerani can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter: @kgallreporter.