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The Analysis of Surf Clam Production Using an Exhaustible Resource Model

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 May 2017

Robert S. Cessine  and
Ivar Strand
Robert S. Cessine
Affiliation:
Department of Agricultural Economics, University of Maryland
Ivar Strand
Affiliation:
Department of Agricultural Economics, University of Maryland
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Extract

The surf clam (sp. Spisula solidissima) is the predominant clam species harvested in the United States. Starting from modest beginnings as a New England bait clam fishery, surf clam meats are now used in virtually all processed clam products, having crowded out other species from their bate or processed goods markets over the past 20 years. This has been due primarily to the surf clams’ greater availability, high meat yield and low cost of harvesting by mechanical means. In 1974, the surf clam fishery produced landings of 96 million pounds of meats, approximately 80 percent of the total catch of all species. The value of landings in 1974 was $12.2 million, over 30 percent of the value of all U.S. landings. Unfortunately, this trend is not expected to continue unabated. Catch in 1975 decreased by 10 percent to 87 million pounds. Current stocks available for harvesting are one-fourth of what they were in 1970 (Chang, Ropes, and Merrill). Due to the increased effort being applied to the remaining populations, it is doubtful that the resource will be able to reach previous harvest levels.

Type
Fisheries and Aquaculture
Information
Journal of the Northeastern Agricultural Economics Council , Volume 7 , Issue 2 , October 1978 , pp. 99 - 103
Copyright
Copyright © Northeastern Agricultural and Resource Economics Association 

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Footnotes

Maryland Agr. Exp. Station Contribution No. 5528.

References

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