A Comparison Between the Northern Hard Clam (Mercenaria mercenaria) and Southern Hard Clam (Mercenaria campechiensis) for Restoration in Florida
Catherine Kaylor, Laura Reynolds, Shirley Baker, Angela Collins, Leslie Sturmer, and Ashley Smyth
Hard clams provide many benefits to Florida’s coastal ecosystems beyond supporting the clam aquaculture industry. One of these benefits is improved water quality through filtration and nutrient cycling. However, both pollution and overharvesting have led to a decline in native clam populations for many areas, resulting in a growing interest among restoration practitioners to rebuild clam populations. There are two clam species native to Florida currently used in restoration: the northern hard clam, Mercenaria mercenaria, and the southern hard clam, Mercenaria campechiensis. This publication is intended for academics, restoration practitioners, and policy makers interested in shellfish restoration. The goal of this document is to describe the similarities and differences between these two species and to serve as a resource for selecting the best hard clam for a restoration project.
