OVERFISHING HAS DEPLETED NATURAL STOCKS OF BIVALVE MOLLUSCS USED TO PRODUCE PROCESSED CLAM MEAT.

OVERFISHING HAS DEPLETED NATURAL STOCKS OF BIVALVE MOLLUSCS USED TO PRODUCE PROCESSED CLAM MEAT. PRESENTLY LARGE CLAMS ARE SHUCKED, EVISCERATED AND REMAINING MEATS EITHER MINCED OR SLICED INTO STRIPS. IF THE WHOLE MEATS OF JUVENILECLAMS COULD BE USED TO MAKE THESE PRODUCTS, THESE COULD BE CULTIVATED IN MASS PRODUCTION IN A FEW WEEKS AND PROCESSED INTO VERY INEXPENSIVE PRODUCTS. RESEARCH IS PROPOSED TO DESIGN AND USE A LARGE SCALE CULTURE SYSTEM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING THE VAST NUMBERS OF SMALL CLAMS REQUIRED FOR PROOF OF CONCEPT. SPECIES ARE BEING SELECTED ON THE BASIS OF RAPIDITY OF GROWTH, EASE OF CULTURE, AND ADAPABILITY OF MEATS FOR PRODUCTION OF CLAM MEAT PRODUCTS. CULTURE METHODS WILL BE DEVELOPED BASED ON THE CONSIDERABLE EXPERIMENTAL ANDCOMMERCIAL MARICULTURE EXPERIENCE OF PERSONNEL OF THE COMPANY AND ITS CONSULTANTS. THE FOOD PROCESSING EXPERTISE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PUERTO RICO WOULD BE USED IN PHASE II RESEARCH.