VIRTUAL TOUR OF A CLAM FARM

The seeding process has been mechanised for quite some time now. Tapes philippinarum clams do not have special needs in terms of type of substratum. They can live happily in surroundings made up of different compositions, varying hugely in the amounts of sand and silt present. The ideal situation is clear water and very low wave action. The substratum is of importance to the farmer as he/she must be able to walk and quickly move in the lagoon waters in order to be able to carry out all the tasks of his job. A flat sand substratum with no vegetable, detritus or foreign bivalves present, provides an ideal environment.

When shells are still young and small they need to be safeguarded against potential crab attacks, the worst and most terrific enemy of the lagoon fishponds. As a defence mechanism the seeded areas are covered with a net of special material and specific dimension for the shell size concerned.