Fisheries Infosite

Queen Scallops Central(West) (QSC8)
Maori name
Tipa (Northern tribes)
Scientific name
Zygochlamys delicatula

Physical characteristics

Queen scallops have no one definitive colour, instead their colours range from yellows to pinks to peaches. They are smaller than other scallops at around 6-8 cm across the shell.

Life cycle

Queen scallops have slow growth rates, reaching 5 cm at 8 years of age. Sexual maturity is reached at 4 years for males and 5 years for females.

Habitat

Queen scallops are found around the South Island from Kaikoura down, but not on the west coast. They are most commonly found at depths below 130 m, but low numbers are caught in waters shallower than 110 m.

 
Key statistics
Reported commercial catch1 (tonnes)
Quota value estimate2 (NZ$m)
Exports estimate2 (NZ$m)
1 Reported commercial catch is calculated for the 12 month period to 30/09/2025
2 Quota value and exports are calculated pro-rata to reported commercial catch for the 12 month period to 30/09/2025