Joe and Nancy Gilbert
F/V Regulus, Furious, Invictus
sea scallops
Joe and Nancy Gilbert founded Empire Fisheries in 1980, although Joe has been involved in fishing all his life as a lobsterman, trawlerman, and shellfisher. Nancy comes from a long line of entrepreneurs with the skills and prowess needed to run a business. Our boats are high-endurance trawlers built to fish year-round in extreme weather.
We are dedicated to running safe, state of the art, ecologically-friendly workplaces with a team environment. Fishing is rewarding but hard work and the crews may be at sea for up to fifteen days.
The boats primarily harvest sea scallops on the continental shelf from the mid-Atlantic to the Canadian border. The United States sea scallop fishery is the largest wild scallop fishery in the world, and is extremely important to the U.S. economy. Wild-caught Atlantic sea scallops, squid, and our other products are all smart seafood choices, because these fisheries are sustainably managed and responsibly harvested under U.S. regulations.
Our deep sea scallops are shucked on the boat, dry packed and iced. According to Serious Eats, most of the scallops you find at supermarkets are "wet," meaning they have been treated with a solution that contains sodium tripolyphosphate (STP). In contrast, "dry" scallops are natural and have not been treated with any chemicals. Fresh, super delicious and sustainable !
BUY OFF THE BOATS.
If you are interested in buying fresh, unfrozen scallops directly from our boats please contact Lyndsey at lyndsey@hiddenemp.com. There is a 20 lb. minimum. Scallops must be picked up directly from the boat at the time of landing and payment must be made in cash at the time of pickup. Sorry, we cannot hold product. For smaller quantities, frozen, or on a more regular schedule, we encourage you to purchase our products through Sea Well Seafood.