Problems Involved in the Development of 



Clam Farms' 



By Harry J. Turner, Jr. 



Woods Hole Oceano graphic Institution 

 Woods Hole, Mass. 



[With 3 plates] 



The soft-shell clam, Mya arcnana, is a commercial molliisk that has 

 played a significant role in the economic and social history of the New 

 England coastal communities and in some instances in other parts of 

 the count ly. The shells in numerous kitchen middens demonstrate 

 conclusively that the New England Indian tribes depended heavily 

 on this species for food in the relatively barren forest lands of the 

 New England coast. The Plymouth Colony would never have suffered 

 from the disastrous famine of the first winter if the immigrants had 

 known of the clam's existence at the very doorstep of the settlement. 

 Subsequently, other coastal settlements in Maine and Massachusetts 

 managed to survive severe winters by eating clams when the harvest 

 was insufficient. Extensive migrations by inhabitants of inland com- 

 munities were frequently undertaken in the late winter and early 

 spring to obtain clams to alleviate a starvation diet. Because of their 

 abundance and use as an emergency food, clams were held in low 

 esteem and it is reported that the pious Elder Brewster used most 

 unclerical language when on one occasion he complained that he had 

 nothing but clams to eat. 



When the economy of the New England States became organized, 

 the soft clam declined in use as an article of food. However, its com- 

 mercial importance soon revived with the hand-line trawl fisheries, 

 as the soft clam formed an ideal bait. It opened easily, stayed on the 

 hook well, and its fat body was so enticing that no self-respecting 

 codfish or haddock could resist a nibble. The inhabitants of one small 

 town in Maine did practically nothing else for a number of years but 

 dig, salt, and export clams for bait and also build fishing boats for the 

 larger fishing interests in order to maintain the market for the prin- 

 cipal product. 



^Reprinted by permission from Oceanus, vol. 7, No. 1, September 1960. 



465 



