asked-reg=
[x]

The Good Fish Guide is compiled by the Marine Conservation Society, the UK charity protecting our seas, shores and wildlife.

MCS would like to keep you updated with the latest sustainable seafood advice, please let us know how you’d like us to keep in touch.

We would you like to keep you informed of MCS's other campaigns, appeals and conservation work. If you do not wish to receive information in the following ways please UNtick the relevant boxes:

Register with GFG later...
Read our data protection policy
Registered Charity England and Wales No. 1004005 | Scotland No. SC037480
[x]

view larger image

Common name - Manila clam
Scientific name - Tapes philippinarum
Average rating
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
Visit Fishonline for the full range of options available for this species.
Consumer Information
Clams are versatile shellfish which you should only eat if they are from farmed sources (e.g. Manila or American hardshell clams) or harvested from the wild (e.g. carpet or razor clams) using sustainable manual methods such as hand gathering. They can be eaten raw, boiled, baked or fried and are most popularly made into clam chowder - a brothy soup, containing potatoes and other vegetables, and often cream. Clams, like many fish, were served in restaurants on Fridays to provide an option for Catholics who abstained from eating ‘meat’ on this day, as well as during important Christian periods such as Lent.
Summary
All Manila clams in the UK are progeny of broodstock imported from the west coast of USA. They are grown in trays on trestles in the sea before planting out in ground plots or seabed. Only a small number of manila clams are farmed for the table in UK (6 tonnes, 2004), the biggest production is seed for ongrowing. Clams may be harvested by manual digging or raking, or by mechanical methods e.g. suction or hydraulic dredge. Manual harvesting methods cause less disturbance to sediment than mechanical methods. Shellfish farming is an extensive, low-impact method of mariculture and high quality water standards are required for cultivation of shellfish for human consumption. When buying any farmed fish, including shellfish, ask your fish supplier if they have a buying policy that ensures high environmental farming standards are required.
Alternatives
(Based on method of production, fish type, and consumer rating: only fish rated 3 and below are included.)
Visit Fishonline, the website for the seafood industry, for more detailed information about this species.