Pacific razor clams (scientific name: Siliqua patula) are an extremely meaty shellfish that is typically found along the west coast between California and Alaska. They are quite common along sandy beaches, especially in areas where the surf can frequently hit the beach. They can even live up to a mile offshore though most clams found …
There are three fundamentals to being an informed shellfish consumer: Knowing the source. Understanding handling. Knowing how to assess quality. Sourcing Your Shellfish Where are the shellfish from? As a consumer, you want to know that your shellfish was harvested by a licensed harvester from a certified shellfish growing area (according to the guidelines of …
Opening Clams Requirements Clam Knife Gloves Note: Don’t try to use a pearing knife or other sharp knives to open shellfish, you can really hurt yourself. Instructions Lay the clam in your hand with the hinge pointing toward your thumb and the rounded end pointing toward your fingers. Position your knife blade in the groove …
In 1991, a relatively new marine toxin, domoic acid, was first detected on the West Coast of the U.S. When this marine toxin was discovered in certain West Coast fish and shellfish, recreational and commercial fisheries were closed. These closures had serious economic impacts on those communities dependent on these fisheries. One of the most …
Clams and oysters are members of the phylum Mollusca, a group of over 100,000 species that also includes snails, octopods and squid. Clams and oysters are bivalved animals, those animals having two shells. The hard clam or quahog, Mercenaria mercenaria , and the eastern oyster, Crassostrea virginica., are native to the very productive intertidal and …