Geoduck Farming Takes Off in Washington State and Canada

Posted on May 26, 2015

The geoduck (Panopea generosa) is a large ugly looking type of saltwater clam. The geoduck is pronounced "gooey-duck." The clams have a long siphon that sticks out way past its shell. These siphons can reach up to 1 meter in length.

The geoduck is considered a delicacy in China. It is so popular that geoduck farming is taking off in Washington. The AP reports that the clams are grown along Washington State's private tidelands. 11 million pounds of geoduck was exported from the U.S. to China and Hong Kong last year. This is double the amount of geoduck exported in 2008. The AP says geoducks can sell for up to $100 a pound overseas. The average geoduck weighs about 2 pounds.

The demand in China for geoduck has led to an expansion of the geoduck farming in Washington. This is causing concern among environmentalists. Geoduck is also harvested in Canada. The Underwater Harvesters Association calls geoduck "nature's buried treasure" on its geoduck.org site. Take a look:

FARMING