SPECIAL REPORT: Clams
Aquaculture is the wave of the future for NJ’s iconic bivalve.
New Jersey Clams: Here’s What You Can Do
“New Jersey is known as the Garden State, but nobody even knows about the gardens on the water.” —Billy Mayer, Clam Daddy’s, Brigantine
The hard clam industry would arguably look different in New Jersey today were it not for the contributions of the state’s baymen. Yet, there’s a disconnect when it comes to the local clam market, and it hinges on the decisions each of us makes at the grocery store or clam bar.
Here’s a quick exercise: Last time you slurped down a clam on the half shell, was it local? Did you ask? If not, you should have. A not-so-secret secret within the “local” shellfish market is this: Much of what we’re eating, even at the shore, is shipped in from out of state. According to John Schriever, owner of BayFarm hatchery, “Probably ten times the number of clams as the Jersey growers grow in total are coming from Virginia”.
Ask your retailer; fish monger and restaurateur if they source clams from New Jersey. If the answer is “no,” encourage them to give the local supply a try.
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