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Seafood Watch - Seafood Guide

Clams, Hard

©Scandinavian Fishing Yearbook/www.scandfish.com
SEAFOODRATINGMARKET NAMESWHERE CAUGHTHOW CAUGHT
Atlantic Surf Clams Good Alternative: These are good alternatives to the best choices column. There are some concerns with how they are fished or farmed – or with the health of their habitats due to other human impacts. U.S. Atlantic Wild-caught
Clams Best Choice: These fish are abundant, well managed and fished or farmed in environmentally friendly ways. Steamers, Littlenecks, Cockles Worldwide Farmed
Giant Clam/Geoduck Best Choice: These fish are abundant, well managed and fished or farmed in environmentally friendly ways. Mirugai, Horseneck Clam, Long Necked Clam, Jumbo Clam U.S., Canadian Pacific Wild-caught
Hard Clams Good Alternative: These are good alternatives to the best choices column. There are some concerns with how they are fished or farmed – or with the health of their habitats due to other human impacts. Littleneck, Cherrystone, Chowder U.S. Atlantic Wild-caught
Ocean Quahog Clams Good Alternative: These are good alternatives to the best choices column. There are some concerns with how they are fished or farmed – or with the health of their habitats due to other human impacts. Quahag, Black Clam U.S. Atlantic Wild-caught
Softshell/Steamers Clams Best Choice: These fish are abundant, well managed and fished or farmed in environmentally friendly ways. Steamer, Longneck, Fryer U.S. Atlantic Wild-caught


Hard Clams

The population of hard clams is considered “unknown” since population assessments aren’t conducted on a regular basis.

Summary

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.

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How fish are caught or farmed makes a difference. Fishing boat

 
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