Figure 5.--Locations of survey stations and clam abundance in bushels per 1-hour tow 



parts. Nearly half of all the samples 

 having no hard clams were located on that 

 shoal. The bottom sediments are sand, 

 sand -mud and sand -mud -shell mixtures. 

 Yellow sulfur sponges, Cliona sp., and tuni- 

 cates, Amaroucium sp., occurred in abundance 

 on and near this shoal. 



The section between the above un- 

 named shoal and Monomoy Point had an 

 average clam abundance of 2.3 bushels 

 per tow. The greatest single sample of 

 population density of this area ( 1 3.7 bushels 

 per tow) was taken in this section. The 

 high concentrations of clams were scattered 

 in six widely separated places throughout 

 this section. The sediment mixtures here 

 contained more mud than sand. Shell was 

 also mixed with the bottom material in 

 some places. In the northeast corner a low 

 abundance of clams were found in a soft 

 mud bottonn. 



unnamed shoal was 2.1 bushels per tow. 

 None of the samples had concentrations 

 of hard clams over 8 bushels per tow. 

 Although hard clams were moderately abun- 

 dant in this section, it could not be con- 

 sidered a profitable area to fish commer- 

 cially. The greatest number of clams were 

 obtained from bottom sediments of a firm 

 sand-mud mixture. No sediments were 

 obtained in the dredge in the places of low 

 clam concentrations. The bottonn was prob- 

 ably sand which washes through the dredge 

 rings readily and is not brought up with 

 the gear. 



In addition to hard clams, the following 

 animals were frequently caught in both 

 sections of this area: whelks, Busycon sp.; 

 starfishes, Asterias sp.; and horseshoe crabs, 



Limulus polyphemus. 



Tuckernuck Shoal-Great Point Area 



The average abundance of clams in the Based upon an average concentration 



section between Horseshoe Shoal and the of hard clams of 1.9 bushels per tow, the 



