Archive for the 'shellfish' Category
Digging out geoducks – North America
I remember reading in a magazine a few years back that perhaps the most important fact about geoducks (pronounce gooey ducks) is: size matters. I believe that back in more genteel days the rather obvious tumescence of geoducks was concealed from female eyes to protect them from the shock – or perhaps to stop them from comparison shopping.
It seems geoducks are quite a long way from being ‘domesticated’ in the same way that salmon or mussels are, but the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife report husbandry including laboratory spawning is progressing.
North American geoducks are found in harvestable quantities only in Puget Sound and inland waters of British Columbia and southeast Alaska. The Washington Department of Natural Resources estimates there are 682 million pounds of geoducks in state waters.
What is the present market value? According to an article in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, geoducks were worth up to $US24 each. To fetch top dollar, clams must be defect-free, with long white necks weighing between 1 1/2 and 2 1/2 pounds apiece. They also have to be delivered live.
Lagoon farming giant clams (Tridacna sp.)
Giant clams have long been a culturally important resource throughout the tropical Indo-Pacific. Their meat has been traditionally used as a subsistence food source. The shell also has many uses for both practical and decorative purposes, being used to make dishes, tools, jewelry and ornaments. In more recent times, the meat has become a delicacy and is even considered an aphrodisiac in some Asian and Pacific markets. The most recent use for the more brightly colored species of giant clam is as a living decoration in home and public aquariums.
The purpose of this fact sheet is to alert prospective farmers to the economic benefits of giant clam farming and also to describe the sites, equipment, and commitment needed to become a successful clam farmer. In addition, there are sections that provide a general description of giant clam farming and information on where to obtain seed clams and get further help in starting a farm.