Sea Pact is providing funding support to the project to continue DEI's historic large-scale research program that examines the effectiveness of different methods designed to protect shellfish from invasive green crabs and other predators, and to restore soft-shell clam populations. Increased ocean water temperatures have resulted in increased populations of invasive green crabs, which prey upon shellfish and have decreased the areas in which commercially valuable soft-shell clams are found. The project is composed of large sets of field trials deployed in the intertidal gradient which tests various hypotheses involving predator exclusion and habitat modification and will result in the enhancement of wild and cultured soft-shell clams. It also involves the fishermen themselves, commercially licensed clammers, in the development and implementation of these adaptive management practices. The ultimate goal is to maintain and increase harvests so that clammers and the soft-shell clam supply chain can continue to make a living and profit, and consumers can continue to enjoy this nutritious protein source. The overarching long-term goal is to propagate a new mindset amongst clammers and the municipal shellfish management committees, to think and see beyond methods that have used traditionally to manage the resource, as many of these methods no longer work very well in the changing ecosystem.

The expected benefits are increased soft- shell clam harvests, steady and increased incomes to clammers, and a more consistent supply for wholesalers and seafood dealers. Also, through working on these field experiment, clammers are learning and refining techniques that can help sustain their fishery through enhancement measures. The benefits will extend further than the particular group of clammers and the town of Freeport as this is a program that is increasing in visibility and scientific acclaim. The demonstration of these techniques encourages similar attempts by other communities, thereby increasing the sustainability of the fishery, creating and sustaining jobs, and adding hundreds of thousands of dollars to the economy. That is, there is a local benefit, a regional benefit, and a statewide benefit.

Currently, there is a need to address how it is possible to keep and sustain a fishery that is being lost due to the activities of an invasive crustacean predator. At the moment, much of the clamming habitat in southern Maine has been lost due to green crab predation. Clammers see the changes and see the resource dwindling , and they are willing/able/ready to engage in new ideas and new thinking to help sustain their industry.

Specifically, our project is fundamentally about improving the sustainability of soft-shell clam fishery, which have been an important seafood in New England since time immemorial. Our applied research is designed to demonstrate to the industry how adaptive management techniques can improve/enhance a traditional fishery dealing with the effects of a warming climate, and, at the same time, provide proven methods that will result in a sustainable fishery.