The white outer lip is sometimes checkered with brown patches. It is high in protein but low in fat content. The common periwinkle or winkle (Littorina littorea) is a species of small edible whelk or sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc that has gills and an operculum, and is classified within the family Littorinidae, the periwinkles. Eschweiler, N., Molis, M. & Buschbaum, C. Helgol Mar Res (2009) "Habitat-specific size structure variations in periwinkle populations (Littorina littorea) caused by biotic factors", Chapman J. W., Carlton J. T., Bellinger M. R. & Blakeslee A. M. H. (2007). The actual value is depending upon supply and demand, with seasonal variations. Once cooked the periwinkles operculum will easily detach from the body and resembles a flake of mica. This is a special order item, based on market availability. As for seafood supply chains in general, the supply chain consists of a collector, processor, distributor and finally the retailer. The processor buys in bulk from the collector, involving a possibly long transport route by land in a refrigerator truck or airplane, taking care to avoid temperatures below 0 Celsius. The sea snails are quickly stir-fried then topped with fried garlic and served with Vietnamese coriander (rau ram). The true nature of the supply chain is usually more complex and opaque, with the potential for records of harvesting areas and date of catch to be falsified. [3] The length is measured from the end of the aperture to the apex. [18] Any periwinkles left immobile at the bottom are considered dead and are discarded. Females lay eggs. This makes winkles the sixth most important shellfish harvested in Scotland in terms of tonnage, and seventh most important in terms of value. [11] These datasets may overlap. Just throw them in boiling water with a little salt for about seven minutes, drain, and remove the meat by stabbing with a toothpick or pin and pulling gently. Raising the common periwinkle has not been a focus due to its abundance in nature and relatively low price; however, there are potential benefits from aquaculture of this species, including a more controlled environment, easier harvesting, less damages from predators, as well as saving the natural population from commercial harvesting. According to the Missouri Department of Conservation, freshwater snails play an intermediate role in food chains. Photo 2: Periwinkles have a thin hard door called an operculum attached to the side of their body which they shut to keep predators out and moisture in. Add the Experiments seem to indicate that the snail responds to light and current, and moves accordingly.[15]. [21], A mortality rate of up to 94% per annum has been observed for the first two months, followed by up to 60% per annum for the rest of the first year. Feeding and Diet Common periwinkles are o mnivores that feed primarily on algae, including diatoms, but can feed on other small organic matter, such as barnacle larvae. In Maine, the snails are commonly collected by a dredge towed from a vessel. Male specimens are mainly ripe from January until the end of May and lose weight after copulation. Ongrowing has been investigated as a potential way of increasing commercial value, but no documented pilot facilities have been established. My mother-in-law, Katrine, and her husband Howard have a house on PenobscotBay in Maine and there I easily gathered 4.5 cups from the tidal flats. The record for the farthest a human has spat a winkle was 10.4 metres by Alain Jourden (France) in 2006.[24]. [8] Benson suggests that it reaches maturity at 10mm and normally lives five to ten years. Its phenotypic variations may be indicative of speciation, as opposed to phenotypic plasticity. Copyright 2020 Edible Cape Cod. This can take anywhere from a few hours to several days, depending on how healthy the periwinkles are and the temperature of the water they climb in. you can dip the meat in garlic butter or just eat it plain. The first recorded sighting in the East was in 1840 in the Gulf of St. Turning to me, she said, you always have to thank the periwinkle: thats very important.. Commonly packed in 3kg boxes by the processor, the box is usually polystyrene foam or thin wood, depending on the market demands. Although tasty when cooked, periwinkles are one of the most unfamiliar and neglected seafoods. [8] When exposed to either extreme cold or heat while climbing, a periwinkle will withdraw into its shell and start rolling, which may allow it to fall to the water.[14]. In some countries, pubs may serve periwinkles as a snack. There have been more than 14,000 observations made available as a dataset at the Global Biodiversity Information Facility - Littorina littorea,[9] which can be explored. [6], Littorina littorea can be highly variable in phenotype, with several different morphs known. It may also be found in muddy habitats such as estuaries[8] and can reach depths of 180 feet. The common periwinkle or winkle (Littorina littorea) is a species of small edible whelk or sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc that has gills and an operculum, and is classified within the family Littorinidae, the periwinkles.[2]. [13] It is primarily an algae grazer, but it will feed on small invertebrates such as barnacle larvae. But when I came up to the house with my pot full of periwinkles and announced that we would be having periwinkle fritters for dinner, Howard informed me there was a shell fishing ban in the area and they all got tossed back. The common periwinkle snail is believed to have been an important source of food in Scotland since at least 7,500 BCE. [8] This species can breed year round depending on the local climate.

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