Researchers at Morgan State University’s Patuxent Environmental and Aquatic Research Laboratory (PEARL) in Southern Maryland are advancing a new aquaculture venture that could diversify the state’s shellfish industry and improve water quality in the Chesapeake Bay.
Local trials show promise
Doctoral student Xuetao Li recently retrieved a metal cylinder filled with sediment from St. Leonard’s Creek, where the team had planted dozens of soft‑shell clam seedlings earlier in the year. Professor Ming Liu, who leads the shellfish‑growing program, sifted the mud and examined the clams, likening the process to prospecting for gold.
“Many growers want a second aquaculture option to increase or enhance their business resilience,” Liu said. The only large‑scale shellfish currently cultivated in Maryland is the Eastern oyster, a species that can bring in millions of dollars but is vulnerable to disease and low‑salinity die‑offs.
Soft‑shell clams offer a climate‑resilient alternative
Soft‑shell clams filter water much like oysters but tolerate the Bay’s lower salinity better. Warm waters also accelerate their growth, allowing them to reach market size—about two inches—within roughly a year, compared with up to three years for oysters.
The lab has established a large‑scale breeding program, producing hundreds of thousands of clam “seeds” each cycle. Selective breeding has yielded heat‑resistant juveniles that survive hot weather at an 85% rate, versus 70% for non‑selected stock.
Industry interest and early setbacks
Patrick Hudson, owner of True Chesapeake oyster farm in St. Mary’s County, sees the potential. After noticing wild clam shells in water pumped from St. Jerome Creek—a sight not seen since the 1970s—Hudson began experimenting with clams on his farm. Initial excitement was dampened when a heat wave killed the first batch of farm‑raised clams.
“That presents a big challenge,” Liu acknowledged. “How do we grow them through the summer?” Wild clams naturally migrate to cooler, deeper waters, a luxury farmed clams lack in shallow oyster beds.
Innovative net trials
In June and July, Liu’s team tested planting clam seeds beneath nets woven with oyster shells, hoping the shells would provide shade and a hard surface for oyster larvae. The early results were modest: only about 10% of the original clams remained, and most were dead.
Liu attributes losses to poor sediment conditions in some spots and an insufficient number of seeds. He plans to increase seed density to 100 per mat in the next trial, aiming to improve survival rates.
Future outlook
Despite setbacks, the researchers remain optimistic. Continued funding would allow PEARL to expand its hatchery capacity and refine techniques, potentially creating a new, climate‑resilient industry for Maryland’s coastal communities.
Successful commercialization of soft‑shell clams could provide oyster growers with a reliable supplemental product, support local economies, and contribute to cleaner Bay waters.
Original reporting: Baltimore Fishbowl — read the source article.
