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Seafood Watch - Seafood Guide

Giant Clam/Geoduck

© Monterey Bay Aquarium
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. Surf Clams, Clams U.S. Atlantic Clam Dredge
Clams Best Choice: These fish are abundant, well managed and fished or farmed in environmentally friendly ways. Cockles, Littlenecks, Manila, Razor, Steamers, Venus 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 Rakes, Shovels
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 Clam Dredge
Pacific Razor Clams Best Choice: These fish are abundant, well managed and fished or farmed in environmentally friendly ways. Northern Razor Clam, Razor Clam Washington, Oregon, Quinault Nation Hand Harvested
Softshell/Steamers Clams Best Choice: These fish are abundant, well managed and fished or farmed in environmentally friendly ways. Fryer, Ipswich, Longneck, Steamer U.S. Atlantic Rakes, Shovels


Giant Clam/Geoduck

The Pacific geoduck (giant clam) is a popular sushi item marketed as mirugai. Due to low amounts of bycatch, low impacts on the seafloor habitat, and highly effective management, geoduck from Washington and British Columbia is a "Best Choice."

Consumer Note

Geoduck is sold as mirugai or giant clam in sushi restaurants. It is also marketed as long-necked clam, jumbo clam, and horseneck clam. Geoduck is available year-round and served in a variety of forms including: live, mirugai sashimi (raw and cut into thin slices), and as frozen or dried siphon meat.

Summary

The geoduck is the world's largest burrowing clam and can live to be over 100 years of age!

The two primary wild-caught geoduck fisheries occur in Washington and British Columbia. Neither of these fisheries is overfished nor undergoing overfishing; however, in British Columbia, the fishery's data is moderately uncertain.

Geoduck is generally harvested by divers with hand-held water jets (stingers), which are thought to cause minimal damage to impacted areas. This method also allows for low amounts of bycatch of non-target species.

The Washington and British Columbia commercial wild-caught geoduck fisheries are effectively managed with conservative collection strategies and strict monitoring and enforcement.

We therefore rank geoduck from Washington and British Columbia as a "Best Choice."

Scientific Reports About Our Ratings
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