GROWTH OF JUVENILE SURF CLAMS (SPISULA SOLIDISSIMA)

INCREASED DEMAND FOR LIVE AND PROCESSED CLAMS HAS BEEN ACCOMPAINED BY A DECREASED SUPPLY OF WILD CLAMS. THE SURF CLAM (SPISULA SOLIDISSMA) WAS UTILIZED EXTENSIVELY FOR PROCESSED CLAM PRODUCTS UNTIL OVERFISHING REDUCED THE SURF CLAM POPULATIONS AND HARVESTS. RESEARCH HAS INDICATED THAT SURF CLAMS CAN BE PRODUCED IN LAND-BASED CULTURE SYSTEMS IN ONE GROWING SEASON, FOR USE IN MARKETS CURRENTLY SUPPLIED BY SLOWER GROWING HARD OR SOFT-SHELL CLAMS. INEXPENSIVE SUPPLEMENTAL FEEDS IMPROVE THE PREDICTED PROFITABILITY OF HARD CLAM AND OYSTER SEED PRODUCTION, BY INCREASING GROWTH RATES. IT IS PROPOSED THAT SUPPLMENTAL FEEDS BE DEVELOPED FOR JUVENILE SURF CLAMS, TO LOWER THE THE COST AND DECREASE THE TIME REQUIRED TO PRODUCE SEED SURFCLAMS FOR INNOVATIVE GROW-OUT SYSTEMS. SUCCES OF THIS PROJECT WOULD ALLOW DEVELPMENT OF A NEW SOURCE OF SURF CLAMS FOR THE LIVE AND PROCESSED CLAM MARKETS, AND WOULD DEMONSTRATE THE FEASIBILITY OF USING NON-ALGAL SUPPLEMENTS IN SURF CLAM DIETS. ADDITIONALLY, THE FEED AND METHODS DEVELOPED IN THIS PROJECT COULD ACCELERATE THE GROWTH OF JUVENILES OF OTHER BIVALVE SPECIES.