July 25, 2022 — A team of researchers form the Science Center for Marine Fisheries, an organization with a number of partners and collaborating scientists from universities like the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, is examining how warmer waters will impact shellfish species harvested in the United States.
The research, centering on ocean quahogs and surfclams, is examining how the two species will begin to interact as changing ocean conditions cause the species to shift habitats. Ocean quahog are one of the longest-lived marine species in the world and inhabit cold waters in the Mid-Atlantic, while surfclams typically inhabit warmer areas.