Massachusetts has an official state symbol for just about everything, so it’s not surprising we have an official state shell. However, it’s not what you might think.
Living as we do in a community known worldwide for its fishing industry, proximity to the ocean, and our affinity for seafood, we’ve seen our share of seashells in New Bedford.
Shell USA, Inc. already laid claim to the scallop shell. A red-and-yellow version shines brightly from the corner gas stations. Some might argue that Massachusetts should declare the scallop shell the Commonwealth’s official shell, given the tens of millions of pounds of scallops landed each year by the New Bedford fleet.
There is always the lobster shell, but that belongs to Maine. After all, Maine is responsible for 90 percent of the nation’s supply of lobster…