Chapter 14 A history of hard clamming

Publisher Summary This chapter provides an overview of the history of hard clamming. Hard clams of the genus Mercenaria have been harvested in the Canadian Maritimes and in the United States in all states from Maine to Florida. Native American Indians harvested clams, known in the industry as quahogs from Rhode Island northward and hard clams from Connecticut southward, by treading in wading depths. The Indians ate the meats and used the shells as tools and utensils. The European colonists exploited shallow-water clam populations by treading and using metal rakes with wooden handles. Partly because of legal constraints, the technologies used to harvest clams have since remained as simple rakes, tongs, or dredges, depending on location. As a result, the fishery for clams remains easy to enter because the rakes and boats are inexpensive or can be borrowed from other fisheries and little skill is required for harvesting. Newcomers can simply follow regular fishermen to the beds and harvest nearly as many clams as they do. The main requirements for making good catches are physical strength and determination.