MOLLUSCAN AQUACULTURE IN THE UNITED STATES: A BRIEF OVERVIEW1

Molluscan mariculture species of interest include four oysters, Crassostrea virginica, C. gigas, Ostrea edulis and O. lurida; four clam species, Mercenaria mercenaria, Tapes japonica, Spisula solidissima, and Mya arenaria; blue mussels Mytilus edulis, several abalone Haliotis spp., bay scallops Argopecten irradians and queen conch Strombus gigas. The American oyster C. virginica leads all molluscan species in landings and about 60% or 12.1 million kilograms of total national production in 1981 was a result of some form of culture. This includes state and private planters' efforts to increase harvest. West coast production of the Pacific oyster was 2.9 million kilograms resulting entirely from mariculture in 1981. The most intense oyster cultivation occurs in New England with production of European oysters, O. edulis, from hatchery produced seed and off bottom culture. Mariculture in some form accounted for about 4% of total national landings of 1.8 million kilograms for all species of clams in 1980. The hard clam, Mercenaria mercenaria, presently accounts for just about all clam commercial mariculture production. Blue mussel farming on both the east and west coasts are viable commercial ventures. Several molluscan mariculture programs have as their goal augmentation of natural stocks which have been reduced by loss of habitat and overfishing.