157
length of the siphons, and thus the burrowing depth of a clam species. M. mercenaria and the softshell clam Mya arenaria can reach a shell length of 150 mm, while
the surf clam Spisula solidissima grows as large as 220 mm. The palourde Ruditapes
decussata and the Manila clam Ruditapes philippinarum are much smaller, with a
maximum shell length of about 75 mm (Gosling 2015).
Distribution of Clams
Venerid clams are the target species of bivalve fishing all over the world due to their
worldwide distribution. In general, more varieties of venerid species are harvested
in the Pacific and Indian oceans than in the Atlantic and the Mediterranean. In different geographical areas, various species are exploited due to their wide distribution area, while other species with more limited distribution are harvested only in
more restricted areas (Gaspar et al. 2013).
It is reported that giant clams (family Tridacnidae) lived along shallow shorelines
and on reefs from South Africa to beyond French Polynesia and Japan to Australia
(Othman et al. 2010). Giant clams are found throughout the tropical Indo-Pacific,
generally inhabiting the shallow water of coral reefs (Gosling 2015).
Although Asian clam (C. fluminea) is a freshwater species native to southern and
eastern Asia (Russia, Thailand, Philippines, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Korea and
Japan) and Africa (Britton and Morton 1979), it is now found in freshwater and salt
water throughout the USA, including all five Gulf states and northern Mexico, and
much of Europe (Cabi 2019b).
The European clam fisheries are dominated by several species in the Atlantic
coast such as the European clam (cross-cut carpet-shell clam), Ruditapes decussatus, the palourde (in French), Venerupis corrugata, and the Manila clam, Ruditapes
philippinarum. In the Mediterranean, the dominant species is the stripped venus
clam, Chamelea gallina which presents fisheries with relevant socio-economic
importance particularly in the Adriatic Sea (Scarcella and Cabanelas 2016).
Manila clam Ruditapes philippinarum, indigenous to the western Pacific, was
introduced first onto the West coast of North America and from there into western
Europe. The hard clam Mercenaria mercenaria is distributed on the Atlantic coast
of North America from the Gulf of St. Lawrence to Florida and is particularly abundant from Maine to Virginia. The softshell clam Mya arenaria occurs in many temperate and subarctic areas along the north-east and north-west coast of the Atlantic
Ocean and the north-east coast of the Pacific Ocean. Other clams that also have a
broad geographic range in tropical waters are species of Arca, Mactra, Meretrix and
Paphia (Gosling 2015).
3.1 Bivalves
length of the siphons, and thus the burrowing depth of a clam species. M. mercenaria and the softshell clam Mya arenaria can reach a shell length of 150 mm, while
the surf clam Spisula solidissima grows as large as 220 mm. The palourde Ruditapes
decussata and the Manila clam Ruditapes philippinarum are much smaller, with a
maximum shell length of about 75 mm (Gosling 2015).
Distribution of Clams
Venerid clams are the target species of bivalve fishing all over the world due to their
worldwide distribution. In general, more varieties of venerid species are harvested
in the Pacific and Indian oceans than in the Atlantic and the Mediterranean. In different geographical areas, various species are exploited due to their wide distribution area, while other species with more limited distribution are harvested only in
more restricted areas (Gaspar et al. 2013).
It is reported that giant clams (family Tridacnidae) lived along shallow shorelines
and on reefs from South Africa to beyond French Polynesia and Japan to Australia
(Othman et al. 2010). Giant clams are found throughout the tropical Indo-Pacific,
generally inhabiting the shallow water of coral reefs (Gosling 2015).
Although Asian clam (C. fluminea) is a freshwater species native to southern and
eastern Asia (Russia, Thailand, Philippines, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Korea and
Japan) and Africa (Britton and Morton 1979), it is now found in freshwater and salt
water throughout the USA, including all five Gulf states and northern Mexico, and
much of Europe (Cabi 2019b).
The European clam fisheries are dominated by several species in the Atlantic
coast such as the European clam (cross-cut carpet-shell clam), Ruditapes decussatus, the palourde (in French), Venerupis corrugata, and the Manila clam, Ruditapes
philippinarum. In the Mediterranean, the dominant species is the stripped venus
clam, Chamelea gallina which presents fisheries with relevant socio-economic
importance particularly in the Adriatic Sea (Scarcella and Cabanelas 2016).
Manila clam Ruditapes philippinarum, indigenous to the western Pacific, was
introduced first onto the West coast of North America and from there into western
Europe. The hard clam Mercenaria mercenaria is distributed on the Atlantic coast
of North America from the Gulf of St. Lawrence to Florida and is particularly abundant from Maine to Virginia. The softshell clam Mya arenaria occurs in many temperate and subarctic areas along the north-east and north-west coast of the Atlantic
Ocean and the north-east coast of the Pacific Ocean. Other clams that also have a
broad geographic range in tropical waters are species of Arca, Mactra, Meretrix and
Paphia (Gosling 2015).
3.1 Bivalves