Clams: Hard

Littleneck, Top neck, Cherrystone, Chowder

N/A

Hard clams are caught using both hand raking and hydraulic clam dredges. Clam dredges use pressurized water jets to wash clams out of the sediment, causing great damage to seafloor habitats. Hand raking has been shown to cause considerably less damage.

Hard clams are considered inherently resilient to fishing
pressure due to life history characteristics such as a low age at first maturity, low to moderate longevity, and high fecundity. There is evidence that hard clams exhibit high population variability driven by physical environmental change.

The stock status of hard clams varies according to the state in which they are harvested and generally there is high uncertainty associated with the status of the stocks. The status of hard clam stocks is therefore considered unknown and ranks as a moderate concern.

There is little bycatch associated with both hand rakes and hydraulic clam dredges, and there are no protected species caught incidentally. Bycatch in the hard shell clam fisheries rates as a “low” conservation concern.

Hydraulic clam dredges used to harvest clams have severe impacts on sea bed habitat, including long-term modification of the physical structure and removal of topographic features. Hydraulic dredging ranks as a “high” conservation concern.

There is a limited amount of data concerning the population status of hard clams in the various states where hard clams are harvested and the habitat effects of hydraulic dredging have not been addressed. The suite of preceding factors results in a ranking of moderately effective management for the hard clam fishery.

Are these clams wild or farmed?

Farmed clams represent a SeaChoice “Best Choice”

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

No.