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**Species Group: Bivalves**

**Problem**: **No ARS presence on East Coast**

**Research Statement:**

-   ARS should establish a research component and intramural research
    facility for east coast aquaculture issues

**Extension/Tech transfer Statement**:

-   Without research , there can be no extension or tech transfer at
    all.

**Problem: Animal Health Issues**

**Problem Statement**:

-   Growers of clams on either coast typically suffer a 40-50% mortality
    from seed to harvest

-   Vibrio tubiashi is causing massive seed mortality in west coast
    hatcheries as well as impacting natural recruitment of oysters and
    other bivalves

-   Biofouling by a wqide range of microalgae and invertebrate species
    is causing significant mortalities and reduced yields of shellfish

-   High production losses due to pests (drills, burrowing shrimp)

**Research Statement**:

-   Identify methods to improve production and survival, reduce
    biofouling, address pest and predator losses, certification
    procedures for seed transfers to reduce unwanted introductions of
    invasive species and disease

-   Identify or develop rapid detection methods suitable for hatchery
    and field applications ; develop procedures for high-health
    production of larvae and seed in commercial hatcheries; research
    on V. tubiashi ecology and physiology related to toxin production
    and effects on shellfish

-   Conduct laboratory studied of methods to control/reduce biofouling;
    evaluate available information on the biology of maor fouling
    organisms

-   Identify vulnerable periods in the life histories of pest organisms
    and develop measure to control them.

**Extension/Tech transfer Statement**:

-   Work with growers to improve crop survival, reduce production and
    biosecurity issues

**Problem: Domestication & Breeding**

**Problem Statement**:

-   Genetic interactions of cultured native bivalves with wild
    populations are a perceived issue and a potential problem; need to
    control reproductive output of cultured native species

-   New species (geoduck , Kumamoto, scallops)

-   Expand selective breeding beyond yield: shelf life, shell shape,
    resistance to Vibrio tubiashi in hatchery/nursery

**Research Statement**:

-   Find ways to limit or eliminate reproduction in the field (3N?)

-   Quantify/compare reproductive output of cultured clams (geoduck) and
    contribution to recruitment

-   Traits to improve: shelf-life, shell shape

-   New species to be investigated include: Geoduck clam,

**Problem: Sustainability**

**Problem Statement**:

-   Molluscan aquaculture in multi-use public waters requires
    demonstration of the sustainability of culture operations.

**Research Statement**:

-   Identify and quantify interactions with natural resources:

> a\) sea grass /culture interactions b) effects of harvest activities
> (sediment plumes c)potential use of culture areas as nurseries,
> feeding sites etc. for native biota d) interactions between fouling on
> protection/culture devices and local biota.

-   Optimization of molluscan culture requires quantification of a)
    planting density and plot size and/or protection devices b)flow
    regimes over plots c)flux of food and/or nutrients d)effect of crop
    rotation and fallowing

-   Identify practices that maximize production with benign
    environmental impact a) Identify practices that enhance water
    quality, b) Develop environmentally benign methods to control
    biofouling and predators, c) Identify ways to mitigate any negative
    impacts of bivalve culture

-   Characterize genetics of resident and cultured bivalves a) Establish
    variation found in resident bivalve populations, b) Develop
    techniques to minimize or avoid genetic interaction between cultured
    and resident bivalves

-   Identify and quantify environmental benefits of bivalve culture a)
    Translate environmental benefits into dollar values

**Extension/Tech transfer Statement**:

-   Develop programs that identify interactions between molluscan
    culture and natural resources: a) videos showing multiple use of
    culture plots b) show progression of use from planting to harvest
    relative nearby areas not used for culture

-   Demonstrate to culturists the optimization adjustments in planting
    density/plot size b) develop easy to use information that will allow
    farmers to determine flow regimes over their plots c) develop
    information on effects of food flux versus available food in water
    column and how to apply these at the farm level.

-   Work with growers to maximize production with minimal environmental
    impact a) Identify and employ practices that enhance water
    quality, b) Help growers to identify and use biofouling and predator
    control methods that are environmentally friendly, c) Review and
    modify culture practices with growers to minimize and/or mitigate
    environmental impacts

-   Characterize genetics of resident and cultured bivalves a) Inform
    growers on genetic variation or resident and cultured bivalves, b)
    Work with growers to secure bivalves with minimal divergence from
    genetics of resident bivalves, c) Identify na duse techniques that
    minimize gamete exchange between resident and cultured bivalves

-   Identify and quantify environmental benefits of bivalve culture a)
    Inform growers, citizenry, media, elected officials and regulators
    of dollars values for environmental benefits of bivalve culture
    (e.g., carbon credits)

**Problem: Mechanization & Optimization**

**Problem Statement**:

-   The shellfish industry is limited by onerous labor
    requirements/costs and production limitations due to product
    handling

**Research Statement:**

-   Develop methods to automate shellfish production, processing, and
    handling that will reduce labor and cost of operations. This will
    include handling in production and processing. Manual labor will be
    replaced by cost-effective mechanized systems

**Problem: Broad Messages**

**Problem Statement**:

-   Genetic interactions wild/cultured is likely to be a big problem in
    the future

-   There are no standardized production data or statistics gathered on
    a routing basis and available for public/researchers

-   Imported products not tested for equivalency

-   Need for a coordinated NATIONAL research strategy

-   Seed transfer criteria are not standardized