Clams, as a general term, can be used to describe any bivalve mollusk species which buries itself in the sediment. There are numerous commercially important clam species within the United States, though the one most recognized and utilized in shellfish aquaculture operations on the East coast is the quahog or hard clam (Mercenaria mercenaria). The hard clam naturally ranges from the Southern Canada to Florida, where aquaculture production of this species was valued at over $60,000,000 in …