"If you can't imagine life without whelks then don't cross the pond to the dear old USA. Not only do they not have whelks, they don't even know what they are and would be scared shitless of them if they did."

LOL... my mom was raised in Cape May - the southern tip of New Jersey with the Deleware Bay on the west & the Atlantic on the east. Low tide at the harbor was memorable for the "aroma" of the tons and tons of knobbed whelk shells that were pitched under the docks after being harvested. The offshore dredgers would harvest ocean clams - the "main" ingredient of Campbell's clam chowder- and what they referred to as "conchs".   

I'm not sure if I ever saw the "meat" at the harbor fish market... though they did have sea robin filets ( no one would ever buy "sea chicken" if they saw the ugly little buggers live or heard them croak... lol)

I do love abalone soup... except for the price, so I haven't seen it available fresh in years. Western NY is still getting used to lobsters. :) I need to retire & head back to the coast... closer to shanty sings!!!