APPENDIX III APPENDEX TTT 
In Washington the Puget Sound region has potential for 
enlargement of the present clam fisheries and development of 
new ones. A survey by divers of the Washington State Depart- 
ment of Fisheries estimated there were over 100 million 
pounds of subtidal hardshell clams. With this extensive 
standing crop, the annual production could be increased with- 
out fear of overfishing. Harvesting of these subtidal clams 
will have to be done with dredges or other underwater methods. 
Successive crops of clams can be produced from hardshell 
beds harvested by a hydraulic clam digger. 
Another survey indicated over 100 million geoduck clams 
are present in the intertidal zones of Puget Sound to a 
depth of about 200 feet. With current restrictions, Washing- 
ton's geoduck fishery could grow to an estimated annual 
landing of 2 to 3 million pounds. Fairly extensive beds of 
soft clams occur at the mouth of several rivers in the 
Pacific Northwest. Companies have begun harvesting these 
clams with hydraulic escalator harvesters on privately owned 
or leased beds in the intertidal zone. 
Studies on the feasibility of planting hatchery-reared 
clam seed on Puget Sound beaches have demonstrated that seed 
clams will survive and grow, but this approach has not yet 
become economical. 
Another underutilized clam resource with potential for 
a large volume of landings is the ocean quahog. Its range 
in the United States along the Atlantic coast includes a 
distance from Maine to Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. While 
landings have averaged less than 2 million pounds per year, 
NMFS estimates of MSY show a potential yield of about 70 to 
100 million pounds a year. 
NMFS analysis of clam aquaculture indicates that at 
least six species have potential for aquaculture, but only 
the eastern hard shell clam is cultured with the sophisti- 
cated methods used for oyster culture. Production of clams 
by aquaculture could be increased from 2.6 million pounds to 
an estimated 25 million pounds by 1990 if adequate seed 
could be produced in hatcheries and if methods can be 
developed for culture of juveniles to field planting size. 
Harvesting capability 
Advancements in gear efficiency offer potential for im- 
proved harvesting capability. Although there is already 
enough capacity to harvest existing surf clam resources, 
harvesting techniques can be substantially improved. Surf 
clam dredges must periodically be lowered to the ocean bot- 
tom, towed, and then raised to obtain the catch. Equipment 
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