April 8, 2024 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:
The Atlantic surfclam is a shellfish species recognized for their large shells that wash up on beaches along the east coast of the United States. I’ve been collecting surfclam shells along New Jersey’s beaches since I moved here a year ago to work at the Rutgers University Haskin Shellfish Research Lab. Here, I research how changing ocean conditions will impact this important species.
Beyond being a great beach souvenir, surfclams support a valuable commercial fishery in the mid-Atlantic region. They are used in regional dishes such as clam chowder. The mid-Atlantic, home to many important marine species including the surfclam, is changing rapidly because of global climate change. Ocean warming and acidification are particularly significant concerns for shellfish.
Warming ocean temperatures directly impact shellfish growth rates and very high temperatures can be lethal to shellfish.Subtle changes in ocean chemistry including pH can also cause physiological stress and impact the integrity of surfclam shells.
Before moving to New Jersey, I lived and studied in Nova Scotia, Canada. Having grown up in a coastal community, I enjoy eating seafood. I am interested in how climate change will impact the way that we fish and grow our seafood. Although we often think of northern waters as being cold, the Atlantic Ocean along the Canadian coastline is also changing rapidly in terms of temperature and ocean acidification. In Nova Scotia, I studied the effects of climate change on shellfish aquaculture (mussels, oysters, and scallops), and how shellfish feeding rates vary under different environmental conditions. At Rutgers, in collaboration with a team from the NOAA Milford Lab, I am continuing this research while working with