Abstract
Hatcheries currently play a critical and foundational role in the bivalve aquaculture industry. They have ended up in this position due to the progressive decimation of critical natural-world habitats through centuries of over-harvesting, habitat encroachment, disease, and climate change. In the natural world bivalves are essential contributors to healthy marine and coastal ecosystems as they efficiently filter water and remove potentially toxic overabundances of nitrogen, phosphorus, and carbon in the process. Their work as ecosystem engineers translates into diverse benefits for plants, at-risk species, animals, and humans. Yet because of dwindling wild harvests, bivalves - in particular, Northern Quahogs (Mercenaria mercenaria) and Eastern Oysters (Crassostrea virginica) - are now predominantly spawned in land-based hatcheries and then grown out in estuaries and on coastal farms. Bivalve hatcheries have become the foundational backbone of the bivalve aquaculture industry. They provide the critical seed and spat for farmers and restoration initiatives. Successful hatcheries rely on mastery of a complex set of practical skills and scientific knowledge. In doing this work they must also comply with a suite of regulatory, economic, environmental, and social license challenges which constrain growth. This paper explores the science and art of clam farming with a lens on best practices the author observed while working as a hatchery lab technician at Two Docks Shellfish, LLC (Two Docks), in Bradenton, Florida. Two Docks is a clam and oyster hatchery dedicated to growing clam seed for the flourishing Florida market. The author successfully acquired a working knowledge of algae culture, spawning and larviculture, as well as a perspective on the business and regulatory challenges hatchery operations face. For context, Florida produces the largest volume of hard clams in the US, yet over the past decade many operations have consolidated or ceased operation due to retirement, economics, and/or the impact of climate change. Further study is recommended on how to increase the number and scale of coastal hatcheries through a combination of education, advocacy, and supportive governmental policies. A potential end goal might be to reduce reliance on foreign imports while growing a healthy and sustainable domestic shellfish pipeline.