YARMOUTH, Nova Scotia (AP) – Lobster is still the king of Nova Scotia seafood, according to preliminary figures for 2006 from the federal Fisheries Department.

The groundfish and scallop industries are next in significance.

About 64.6 million pounds of lobster were caught in Nova Scotia in 2006, with an estimated value of $399 million in Canadian money, said department official Tim Surette.

The total value of the 2005 lobster catch was a little higher, at $412.9 million, with roughly the same weight caught as last year, 64.4 million pounds.

Lobster is the No. 1 seafood in Maine, as well. In 2005, the catch totaled 67.3 million pounds valued at $311.6 million (U.S. dollars). The 2006 harvest won’t be reported until later this year.

For the Nova Scotia inshore scallop harvest, the preliminary 2006 figures show 2.4 million pounds were caught, a total that is reported as a meat weight because scallops are shucked at sea. The value of inshore scallops for Nova Scotia in 2006 was about $20.6 million.

In 2005, total inshore scallop landings were 3.1 million pounds valued at $18.5 million.

The offshore scallop sector in 2006 was worth about $61 million, with about 12.4 million pounds caught.

For groundfish, the preliminary figures for the 2006 harvest were 127.2 million pounds worth about $70.1 million.

The groundfish landings for 2005 were higher, with a harvest of 147.7 million pounds valued pegged at $80.6 million.

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