Scallops feed on plant and animal plankton. The normal habitat is a hard sea bottom at depths of 15-80 m and they are most abundant in fairly strong nutrient rich currents.
Scallops grow rather slowly and mainly in the spring and summer months.
Ten year old scallops measure 6.5-8.5 cm in height. The Iceland scallop is caught by dredging along the sea bed at a depth of 20-70 m. The season extends from late July and throughout winter with the best fishing in the autumn months. The scallop fishery is centred in the Breidafjordur area. The annual scallop catch in Icelandic waters has been in the order of 8,000-17,000 tonnes in the past 20 years.