Economy and Business

Who’s the toughest shucker in New Bedford?

Ocean State Media | By Ben Berke

Published August 18, 2026 at 4:34 PM EDT

Participants race to shuck scallops during an annual shucking contest at Scallopalooza 2026 in New Bedford. Credit: Allison Magnus/Ocean State Media

Captain Eddie Dellecese, of the fishing vessel Buckeye, won the Fishing Heritage Center’s second annual Scallopalooza contest, shucking 100 scallops in under five minutes

New Bedford crowned a champion last week at its annual scallop shucking contest, which celebrates the intricate flick of the wrist that helps generate over $300 million in annual seafood revenue for the city.

Eddie Dellecese, captain of the fishing vessel Buckeye, shucked 50 scallops in under two and a half minutes in both rounds of last Thursday’s Scallopalooza contest.

With two thrusts of his knife, Dellecese can pop open a scallop and separate its white circular meat from the colorful guts and shell, which he flings forward into a trash pile. On average, the whole motion takes under 3 seconds.

There are hundreds of commercial fishing vessels based out of New Bedford, and crews shuck tens of thousands of pounds of scallops on a typical trip. On an especially good trip, a single fisherman might shuck over 10,000 scallops on deck.

To arrange the contest, the New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center, a small waterfront museum, issued an open call for participants, ultimately fielding 15 fishermen.

Despite winning the contest, Dellecese denies any claims of having the fastest hands on the waterfront.

Many of the best fishermen were out working, he said, or just watching from the crowd. The contest is really about celebrating what the city does best, not crowning an undisputed winner.

“This is for fun,” Dellecese said. “But when you go on the boat, that's when you really show your strength — on day 10.”

For Dellecese, the point is celebrating the work that makes New Bedford the most lucrative fishing port in the U.S. and supports an entire city’s economy.

“When you go to Alaska, or anywhere, and you say you're a New Bedford fisherman, they know you're pretty badass,” Dellecese said. “New Bedford fishermen have been known to be the best and strongest.”

1 of 12 — IMG_6079.jpg

Fishermen compete in the New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center’s second annual Scallopalooza, a scallop-shucking contest celebrating the skill, speed and tradition behind one of the city’s signature industries. Credit: Allison Magnus/ Ocean State Media