| General
Rules:
Bag
and Size Limits:
| |
Minimum
Size |
Bag
Limit |
| Soft-shell
clam |
44
mm |
300* |
| Bar
clam |
76
mm |
300* |
| Mussels |
n/a |
300 |
*
- Limit is cumulative across all Clam species - 300
MAximum posesion of any combination of species. For
more information consult : CLICK
HERE!
No
person engaged in recreational fishing for clams by
hand or with hand-held tools shall catch and retain,
in any day, more than 300 clams.
Soft-Shelled
Clams
 Clams
are common to the river mouths, inlets, and beaches
of all the Maritime provinces and are found in the
sand or mud around midtide level. Soft-shell clams
have oval shaped, long, thin, brittle shells which
are chalky-white in colour. The clams cannot close
their shells tightly because their long neck extends
beyond the edge. Most of the soft-shell clam harvest
is sold fresh in the shell with some amount sold as
fresh and frozen shucked meat and in canned goods.
Hand tools are the only permitted devices for clam
harvesting.
Finding
clams is simply a matter of locating a sandy or muddy
low tide flat. This is the clams preferred habitat.
Once you have located a suitable habitat, simply look
for small holes in the sand or mud.
Once
you have located the holes, simply dig the area down
as deep as possible until you produce a clam. If no
clam is found, chances are the hole was created by
another animal. Typically clams are found within 12
inches of the surface.
Soft
shelled clams (as the name suggests) have relatively
soft shells so care should be taken not to crush the
clams when digging.
Typically
a pitchfork is a better clam digging tool than a shovel
and it is recomended you use a pitchfork of some time.
If
you find the clams are really deep you can simple
"shave" a top layer of mud/sand off the
top and dig from there - anything to help from crushing
these tasty treats.
Razor
Clams
 Razor
clams typically inhabit sandy areas alongside their
soft-shelled cousins. They are easily identified by
their long, thin appearance. Razor clams tend to be
harder to dig as they tend to sit vertically in the
sand/mud and are much longer than the soft-shelled
clam.
Blue
Mussels
 Rocky
shores along the three provinces' coastlines, bays
and river mouths are mussel breeding grounds. Mussels
attach themselves to rocks, wharf-pillings or other
salt-water-submerged surfaces by means of fine threads
or "beards". On the outside, the shells
are deep-blue to black, while the inside of the shells
are whitish- blue.
Mussel
meat is of optimum quality during March, April, May,
October and November, when the ocean temperature is
cold. Mussels are typically sold fresh in the shell
and a license is not required for recreational harvesting.
In
addition to mussels harvested in the wild, much of
the commercial production is now from mussel culturing
operations. These operations and growing areas are
closely monitored by the Department of Fisheries and
Oceans.
Wild
mussel harvesting is prohibited in the Bay of Fundy
|
|
Things
you will need:
Tide
Times : Maps
:
Safety
Boots, Bucket, Pitch fork/Shovel
Preparing:
Clams typically ingest sand or mud from their
surroundings. To cut down on the sand in your
clams. simply change their water every hour
or so for a few hours. As they bring in the
new water, they will expell the sand inside
their shells. It is best to use ocean water
for this but a salted water will suffice. Freshwater
will kill the clams and the mussels.
Wild
Mussels will have small "pearls" inside
them. Take care while chewing wild mussels as
the pearls tend to be extremely hard and can
easily break a tooth. The pearls are great things
for crafts for the kids.
Clams
and mussels are typically boiled in a salted
water until they open up and are easy to remove
from the shells. Overcooking can cause the meat
to become rubbery and hard to chew.
To
steam, place in a large pot with a couple of
inches of salted water. Cover and bring to a
boil. Cooking times may vary but typically cook
until the clams or mussels open up and become
easy to remove from the shell. Then simply remove
the meat from the shell, rinse and prepare or
eat.
Although
clams and mussels can be eaten right out the
clam - just dip them in a a bit of butter and
your done, however there a multiple methods
after they are originally steamed. Everything
from clam chowder to fried mussels on pasta.
|
|
For
the most up to date information and BEFORE HARVESTING
SHELLFISH FROM ANY AREA, contact the nearest Department
of Fisheries and Oceans office, or call 1-800-565-1633
toll-free.