Clams: Pacific Geoduck

Horseneck clam, Long necked clam, Jumbo clam

Mirugai

The geoduck is the world’s largest burrowing clam and can live to be over 100 years of age. The Pacific geoduck is native to the Pacific Northwest of the United States and to coastal areas of British Columbia with additional populations existing as far south as Baja California. The market for geoduck has generally been based in Asia, but the expansion of the American sushi industry has spurred a rise in domestic
demand(known as mirugai).

Geoducks are characterized by a low age at sexual maturity and high fecundity. This species however, has a low intrinsic rate of increase and an extremely long life span. As such, geoduck is considered moderately vulnerable to fishing pressure.

The Washington geoduck stock is not overfished and overfishing is not occurring. The estimated TAC is conservative at only 2.7% of estimated commercial biomass, and three-quarters of the stock is outside harvestable areas. As such, the geoduck stock in Washington is considered to be ‘healthy’. In British Columbia, geoduck quotas are calculated as 1.2% to 1.8% of the current biomass estimates, and overfishing is not occurring. Population abundance has a decreasing long-term trend, but stable short-term trend. In addition, only moderately uncertain fishery-dependent data are available. Given this information, the status of the geoduck stock in British Columbia is a ‘moderate’ conservation concern.

High-grading of geoducks is known to occur in both the Washington and British Columbia commercial geoduck fisheries, but the extent and overall impacts are unknown. Horse clams are commonly found in commercial geoduck tracts and removed during geoduck harvest. In Washington and British Columbia, horse clams that are harvested in the commercial geoduck fishery are utilized, accounted for and well- managed. Given this information, bycatch in these commercial fisheries is a low conservation concern.

The gear used in this fishery (stingers) is thought to cause minimal damage to impacted areas, especially as harvestable geoducks inhabit sandy, dynamic areas of the benthos. The nature of the stinger apparatus allows harvesting to be precise and well-targeted. It is thought that there are no long-term impacts from geoduck harvesting to the marine environment and thus the habitat and ecosystem effects of geoduck harvesting are considered ‘benign’.

In Washington, the commercial geoduck fishery is regularly assessed, using both fishery dependent and independent data. Population abundance declined from the mid- to late-1970s through the early 1990s but has since recovered due to the revised, more conservative TAC. British Columbia maintains up-to-date stock assessments and fishery management plans for the commercial geoduck fishery. The fishery has a history of over-exploitation but has reduced quotas and implemented a number of management measures in an effort to repair past damage. The current TAC is considered sustainable. Both Washington and B.C. fisheries are effectively monitored and enforced. These fisheries are considered to be highly effective.

Adults and children can safely eat more than 4 meals per month + Low contaminant levels

No.