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Aquaculture of the Hard Clam, Mercenaria
mercenaria, on the East Coast of the U.S.
Gef Flimlin, Marine Extension Agent
Rutgers Cooperative Extension, Toms River, NJ, USA
John N. Kraeuter, Associate Director
Rutgers Haskin Shellfish Research Lab, Port Norris, NJ, USA
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Post WWll Beginnings
�Campbell Soup’s Clam Chowder
�Post War population explosion and move to the coast.
�Need for more small clams
�Need for good hatchery techniques and consistent high quality algae.
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History Lesson
� 1879- William Brooks from Johns Hopkins Univ. obtains gametes from oysters
�Mid 1920’s, start of clam rearing by William Firth Wells at Bluepoints Oyster Co. on Long Island NY.
� 1950s Victor Loosanoff (Bur. Of Commercial Fisheries, Milford CT) worked on Broodstock conditioning, thermal shock for spawning and unicellular algae for food.
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History Lesson
�Early 1950’s Rutgers Univ. worked on Biology of Hard Clam funded by Campbell’s Soup. (Carriker/Haskin/Nelson)
�Richard Kelly started a clam hatchery in Atlantic VA in 1956. Sporadic production and field planting was a failure (predation)
�Advances by Matoria Chanley (hypochlorite/sodium thiosulfate) to sterilize seawater for algal production.
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More Recent History
�1962 ARC opens on Cape Cod and could produce large numbers of clam seed, but field culture was still a problem.
�Early 1970’s VIMS opens hatchery in Wachapreague VA. Mike Castagna and John Kraeuter use specific size plantings, gravel cover, and vertical baffles to try to reduce predation.
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More Recent History
�1974, NJ clammers take clam course with Castagna and Kraeuter.
�1976 Rich Crema begins the use of “bird netting” to cover clam seed and reduce predation.
�1980’s Acceptance of downwellers and upwellers for hatchery (Manzi/ Vaughan)
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Maine
�Hatcheries – 6, almost all of the seed is shipped out of state for other growers or nursery systems.
�2 growers
�Little overall value of marketable product
�Poor growing areas and the water is too cold for growing
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New Hampshire
�Nothing happening and very little state support for aquaculture.
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Massachusetts
�About 150 hard clam growers
�Value of clams marketed about $6 million
�10% reduction in industry in past 5years
�Littleneck price down from $.22 to .17.
�Many clam growers also grow oysters.
�Hard hit by QPX disease in Provincetown.
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Rhode Island
�1 Hatchery
�About 5 growers
�Overall value has dropped from $30K to $6.4K (1998-2003)
�Production dropped during the same time by about 75%.
�Littleneck price has been between $.10-.15 each.D
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Connecticut
�2 Hatcheries growing hard clams
�About 35 to 40 growers but some take wild seed and grow it out, industry fairly stable.
�Value about $10 million annually but price per clam is down about 35% over past 3 years.
�Oyster bottom culture has clams growing underneath it, considered “cultured” by some.
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New York�4 Commercial Hatcheries, 1 University, 2
Town Hatcheries
�Few private growers but about 10 towns doing shellfish restoration for wild harvest.
�No growth of industry because of poor leasing policy.
�Average price is down a few cents.
�Major hatchery shut down (Bluepoints)Do not
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New Jersey
�About 40 growers down from 60
�Overall value about $4 million per year.
�Price is off 30% and market is off 60% since 9/11. Littlenecks are $.15 - .16 each down from $.18 each from the dealer to the grower.
�8 Commercial Hatcheries, 1 recently closed, possibly one more large one closing. Do n
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Delaware
• No commercial clam culture because State of Delaware does not sanction shellfish aquaculture. However experimental culture shows very good promise.
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Maryland
�1 Land Based Nursery System for clams
�About 8 growers in the coastal bays.
�Growth is starting in the industry. Traditional conflict with older wild harvest oyster fishery, kept shellfish aquaculture from expanding for any shellfish.
�Cultured clam price is stable.Do not
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Virginia
�5 Commercial Hatchery Companies
�About 150 growers mainly on the Eastern Shore.
�In 2003, State calculated production at $20 million, a 167% increase from 1997. Expected to increase by 13% in 2004.
�Prices have been stable but lower than states to the north.Do n
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North Carolina
�5 Commercial Clam Hatcheries
�About 50 growers
�Total value of industry is about $600K
�Industry growth is stagnant because of lack of state interest and may be dropping a bit.
�Littleneck price is down to $.12 from $.18.
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South Carolina
�3 Hatcheries, 1 nursery for hard clams.
�About 40 growers
�Industry value at $5.5 million
�About 60% growth in the past 5 years.
�Littleneck price dropped from $.16 to .12 but is back up to $.14.
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Georgia
�9 Growers, up 25% in the past few years.
�Total cultured clam sales about $600K
�Littleneck price is down to $.10 - .11 since 9/11.
�Lots of biofouling inhibits industry growth.
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Florida
• 388 Certified Clam Culturists, down from 450.
• Value $12.1 million in 2003 down from $15 million in 2001. (20% loss)
• Dockside and wholesale price was off 35% since 2001, but has come up since hurricanes.
• 12 hatcheries and 8 nurseries.
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Production Summary
�Overall hard clam culture is level.
�Technology research has about stopped but much more could be done.
�Disease (QPX) is not a great threat.
�Pricing is down to the grower.
�Most people are looking for marketing help.
�Frozen imports are now competing at a much lower price.
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Impact of commercial clam culture on shellfish restoration
• No real research on these impacts.
• Restoration projects have mostly used local broodstocks from in-state hatcheries.
• Anecdotal evidence shows more notata clams outside areas of significant clam culture.
• Many growers and reseachers feel that clam culture is beneficial to environment.
• Time spent culturing clams is not pressure on natural stocks.
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Thanks to…
�Dana Morse, ME; Bill Walton and Sandy Macfarlane, MA; Skid Rheault and Dave Alves, RI; Tessa Getchis, CT; Gregg Rivara, NY; John Ewart, DE; Don Webster, MD; Mike Oesterling, VA; Sarah Mirabilio and Jim Swartzenberg, NC; Jack Whetstone, SC; and Leslie Sturmer, FL.
�Also much thanks to my colleague John Kraeuter, Rutgers HSRL.
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