Trends in fishery performance have been documented using catch and effort data from mandatory logbook submissions. In the absence of substantial new recruitment, this trend toward lower catch rates is likely to continue in the New Jersey and Delmarva areas. In spite of declines in catch rates off Delmarva and New Jersey, fishery-wide catch rates have held steady since 1983 due to fishing on new grounds to the north and east. The expansion reached the Long Island area in 1991 and 1992, and the Southern New England area in 1993. From 1996 to 2000, catch rates off Southern New England have declined.
Ocean quahogs are a slow growing, unproductive species.
Although annual landings are approximately only 2 percent of the total estimated stock, greater landings are probably not sustainable. Once an area is depleted, recovery time is expected to be extremely long. For further information Leavitt, D.F., J. McDowell Capuzzo, and J.R. Weinberg. Mann, R. 1985. Seasonal changes in the depth-distribution of bivalve larvae on the southern New England shelf.