Fisheries and Oceans Canada
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Archived – Waved whelk
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The waved whelk, (Buccinum undatum), is a gastropod mollusc that is found along the western Atlantic coast from New Jersey to Labrador, including the Estuary and Gulf of St. Lawrence. It is very common in cold waters, from the tidal level to depths of 30 metres or more. Whelk is a necrophagous predator, feeding mainly on invertebrates such as polychaetes, molluscs and echinoderms. In the St. Lawrence, whelk grows slowly but can reach a size of 110 mm. According to the literature, its life span is approximately 15 years. Whelk fishery is an inshore activity that is practiced using conical or pyramid-type traps.
