863 



Holmsen, A. A. 1966. 



The economics of dredging quahogs in Rhode Island. Maritimes 9(3): 10-13. 



Handraking accounts for 90% of the hard clam harvest in Narragansett Bay, 

 but a limited amount of power dredging is done in certain areas. Dredging 

 season is 1 December to 31 March, and only in 3 areas, one of which is 

 closed by pollution. The dredging fleet is close to 40 boats. In 1963 

 licenses were held by 39 dredge boats, with a daily catch limit of 30 

 bushels. Prices were good, boats worked an average of 53 days, and harvested 

 an average of 734 bu of average price $7.54/bu. Most boats are owner-operated 

 and have a captain and one deck hand. Dredging is not a full-time occupation. 

 In 1963 only 38% of net income of dredge boat owners came from dredging. 

 Average age of fleet is 28 yrs , most were built in the 1930s. Most boats are 

 tied up for the rest of the year, but a few work at other occupations. Boat 

 values may vary, but in January 1964 the average estimated value was $6,000 

 plus $850 for equipment. If the owner does not operate the vessel he splits 

 the returns, minus all expenses, with the captain. No standard payment for 

 deckhands is set, but a fairly frequent arrangement was $1.00/bu or somewhat 

 more for smaller clams. Fuel costs were $8.25 average, ranging from $7.00 to 

 $12.80 for gasoline power and $4.90 to $8.40 for diesel. Painting and repairs 

 are held to a minimum, but may rise in a good year when more money is 

 available. Average costs in 1963 were $728/vessel for maintenance and repair, 

 $109 for permits and other expenses, $180 for depreciation, and $271 for 

 interest, for a net daily return of $52, and a seasonal return of $2,768. If 

 days taken for repair and maintenance are included, net daily return drops 

 to $41. However, individual vessel returns ranged from a high of $7,150 to a 

 low of $45 loss. It is important that boat and equipment be in top shape so 

 that breakdowns and lost days are kept to a minimum. - J.L.M. 



864 



Holmsen, Andreas, and Joseph Stanislao. 1966. 



Economics of quahog depuration. Department of Food and Resource Economics. 

 University of Rhode Island, Agricultural Experiment Station, Bulletin No. 

 384, 36 p. 



Estimated costs to transplant clams from polluted to clean waters where 

 they could cleanse themselves were $1.40-$4.53 per bushel. Under present 

 conditions in Rhode Island, it was estimated that transplanting would cost 

 about $1.85 per bushel. A design for a depuration plant for hard clams 

 utilizes water sterilized with ultraviolet light. The plant would be 

 capable of depurifying 324 bushels of clams per day. Total cost of de- 

 puration in the model plant was estimated at 25.4* per bushel. It was 

 concluded that depuration by a plant using ultraviolet light is 

 economically superior to transplanting clams. - D.L. 



865 



Hood, L. F., R. R. Zall,and R. L. Conway. 1976. 



Conversion of minced clam wash water into clam juice: waste handling or 

 product development? Food Prod. Devel. , Nov. 1976: 86, 88. 



The paper describes a process developed at the plant of the Shelter Island 

 Oyster Co., Greenport, Long Island, N.Y., for producing a marketable food 

 product from waste water from a surf-clam processing operation, and thereby 

 reducing BOD of plant effluent. The technique could be applied to hard clam 

 if it were (e.g., chowder clams) processed in a similar way. - J.L.M. 



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