Whelks

The Common Whelk has, as its name implies, been common in the coastal areas of the eastern side of the North Atlantic from Norway to Spain. It is more common on sandy or silty bottoms than on rocks. Here whelks have been caught in traps and are being transferred onshore at a small pier in County Donegal, Ireland. The main markets are Japan and Korea, both of which are large consumers of whelks.