UF extension agent says new pickup trucks in Cedar Key reflect economic impact of clam industry

April 10, 2006

CEDAR KEY, Fla. — After weathering two of the worst hurricane seasons on record, Cedar Key is still one of the nation’s top clam producers. Starting from ground zero in 1993, the small village on Florida’s Gulf Coast – also known as “Clamalot” for its ideal growing conditions – rapidly became the No.1 producer of cultured hard clams in the nation.

“Clam production in Southwest Florida and the Indian River area on the east coast are recovering from the disastrous hurricanes of 2004 and 2005, but the storms had little effect on production in Cedar Key,” said Leslie Sturmer, a University of Florida aquaculture extension agent.

According to the first-ever aquaculture census conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in 1998, Florida produces more hard clams by volume than any other state. About 80 percent of that production comes from Florida’s west coast, with Cedar Key producing 70 percent of the total, Sturmer said.

“In addition to all the usual agricultural statistics about the growth of the clam industry in Cedar Key, many local folks like to point to the growing number of new pickup trucks in town,” Sturmer said. “Used to haul clams, the trucks are a good indication of the clam industry’s strong economic impact in this island community – a place that’s proud of its fishing heritage and protective of its fishing resources.”

She said development of the farm-raised hard clam (Mercenaria mercenaria) industry in the rural coastal area started with several job retraining programs that have helped hundreds of displaced workers in the commercial fishing industry. Since 1991, more than 200 underemployed oyster harvesters and former net fishermen in Cedar Key have been trained and moved into small-scale business enterprises, building a new aquaculture industry in one of the state’s oldest ports.

The education programs, conducted by the Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution in cooperation with UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, provided workers with information on the production, marketing and other business aspects of clam culture.

“The training programs helped establish the clam farming industry in Cedar Key as well as Southwest Florida and the Oak Hill area on the east coast,” Sturmer said. “The growth in hard clam production in these areas of the state can be attributed to our training programs and the high natural productivity of sub-tropical waters for almost year-round clam seed planting, growth and harvesting.”

She said no other production area in the nation can match the excellent production conditions in Florida.

Clam farming now provides income to Florida fishermen displaced by the 1994 statewide ban on fishing nets, boosting local economies in rural communities such as Cedar Key, she said. Statewide, about 400 shellfish growers are farming more than 1,800 acres of state-owned submerged lands in coastal waters, producing more than 140 million clams annually.

In 1989, clam sales represented less than one percent of all aquaculture sales in the state, but that figure has jumped to almost 20 percent. Farm-gate sales of clams topped $16 million in 2005 – a 34-fold increase since 1989.

According to Chuck Adams, Florida Sea Grant marine economics specialist and professor in UF’s Department of Food and Resources Economics, the total economic impact of Florida’s clam industry, which is the largest marine aquaculture industry in the state, exceeded $34 million in 1999. All aquaculture sales in the state, including tropical fish and aquatic plants, are about $100 million annually, he said.

Statewide, the cultured hard clam industry also supports more than 10 hatcheries and 75 land-based nurseries, including 45 in Cedar Key. In 2005, 30 producers sold 478 million clam seed with total sales of $3.3 million. Sturmer said other “spin-off” businesses include seamstresses making clam bags, boat builders specializing in clam work skiffs and manufacturers producing harvesting and processing equipment.

“About 40 certified shellfish wholesalers in the state purchase clams from growers, add value and distribute product to markets throughout the nation,” Sturmer said. “Clam sales also support local restaurants and retail seafood businesses.”

Because clam farming requires good water quality that’s free from bacterial and industrial contamination, Sturmer has helped Cedar Key (population: 1,000) officials adopt responsible coastal development practices for shellfish harvesting waters. In 1998 state and federal funds were obtained to expand the local waste water treatment facility. More than 140 septic tanks, which may affect water quality in areas where clams are grown and harvested, were replaced with a modern waste-water treatment system.

Adams said a typical two-acre facility for growing cultured hard clams can earn approximately $35,000 per year. Higher stocking densities and careful business planning can generate even more income.