New England’s Harvest Of Clams Dwindling

The supply of our beloved "steamers" and "longnecks" is on the decline. The soft-shell clam harvest from Maine to Massachusetts has been on the decline for several years, but a new report says we can expect this trend to continue.

According to a story on boston.com, there are many reasons for the shrinking harvest.  Experts say that rising seawater temperatures and the increase in the underwater predators that eat the clams are a couple of the causes.

One expert says that the clam-producing areas are becoming smaller and smaller, and the acreage that no longer have clams will continue to grow. the result will be a smaller number of clammers and an increase in price for the steamers and longnecks that we buy in stores and eat in restaurants.