TIMES RECORD • March 16, 2023
A couple of weeks ago, a group of scientists, shellfish harvesters and town employees headed out on the mudflats in Brunswick to set up an experiment — all in an effort to learn more about soft-shell clams, one of the state’s most valuable resources, ranking third behind lobsters and elvers. Brunswick ranks at the top of all Maine towns for its number of harvesters and pounds harvested each year. The town has 63 commercially licensed harvesters and 17 student harvesters, and the resource is valued in the millions of dollars. There are over 61 miles of coast and 1,600 acres of intertidal in the town. The Downeast Institute, a marine-research laboratory and education center, has funding to study soft-shell clam fecundity along the coast. Managers expect to learn about when and where clams spawn, how long into their lives they spawn and what size clams’ eggs have the best survivability. This will help as they consider options to restore the populations ~ Susan Olcott, Maine Coast Fishermen’s Association