Which clam species is of greatest commercial importance to the United States?
The oceanic surf clam is the most important commercial species. The largest clam of the U.S. east coast, it sometimes reaches a shell length of more than eight inches. Landings of surf clams in New Jersey and Virginia account for about half the total U.S. annual landings of all clam species. The surf-clam catch in recent years—in shucked meats—ranged from about 41 to 63 million pounds.
