Mussels have a tangy, sweet taste that produces one of the best shellfish stocks.

One of the better main courses is a large open ravioli stuffed with little langoustines awash in a heady truffle-scented shellfish stock.

Although many factors affect shellfish stocks, sea otter predation can deplete a fishery to the point where it is no longer commercially viable.

The version I sampled was a winner: squid, tuna and mussels in a concentrated shellfish stock.

(This, on a small scale, may be defined to include various known unofficial actions by inshore fishermen to protect their shellfish stocks.)

Unfortunately, overfishing depleted shellfish stocks, which have still not recovered.

A shallow pool of thyme-scented shellfish stock overflows with shellfish, pieces of salmon, snapper and crab meat.

Bouillabaisse, a house specialty, had a richly flavored shellfish stock and was generous with ingredients, but a bad mussel and dry lobster vitiated its appeal.

A special seafood soup one evening featured a heady, sage-accented shellfish stock with little bay scallops from Long Island, shrimp, turbot and potatoes.

Among the winners is the saffron fettuccine in what is called a seafood Bolognese sauce, a vibrant shellfish stock loaded with scallops, shrimp and onions.