422 



REVIEW OF CERTAIN MAJOR FISHERIES 



SUMMARY OF MENHADEN LANDINGS, 1970 - Continued 



1/ LESS THAN 500 POUNDS OR $500. 



U.S. CLAM FISHERY, 1970 



Record landings of 99.2 million pounds of clam meats worth a record $28.8 million were 

 18.5 million pounds (23 percent) and $3.6 million (14 percent) more than in 1969, the former re- 

 cord year. The harvest increased in all regions, with record landings in the Middle Atlantic States 

 (63.3 million pounds) and the Chesapeake States (22 .7 million pounds). The Middle Atlantic States 

 led with 64 percent of the landings, followed by the Chesapeake States with 23 percent; New Eng- 

 land, 11 percent; and the Pacific Coast, Gulf and South Atlantic States with the remaining 2 percent . 



Record landings of 67.3 million pounds of surf clam meats increased 36 percent compared 

 with 1969, and contributed substantially to the greater production. Surf clams, landed principally 

 in New Jersey, accounted for 68 percent of the total volume; hard clams were 16 percent, and soft 

 clams, 13 percent. The rest consisted of geoduck , horse, ocean quahog, rangia, razor, sunray 

 venus , and mixed clams . A fishery for geoduck clams developed in Washington. These large "king" 

 clams with enormous necks were in Paget Sound where they were reached by divers using under- 

 water air or water jets. Most of the clams were steaked for restaurant use. 



Dredges took 80.4 million pounds (81 percent); hoes, 6.6 million (7 percent); rakes, 6.2 

 million (6 percent); and tongs, 4.4 million pounds (4 percent) . The rest of the landings were taken 

 with shovels or gathered by hand. 



In Section 13 of this digest, under the heading "Conversion Factors" , there is a table which 

 gives the average State yield per U.S. standard bushel for clams taken on the Atlantic and Gulf 

 coasts. Supplementary shellfish tables appear after the summary tables for each Atlantic and Gulf 

 regional section. 



