Top Surf Clams Not Elsewhere Included Fishing Countries

Surf clams, primarily the Atlantic surf clam (*Spisula solidissima*), are large, burrowing bivalves found in sandy coastal waters, most notably along the eastern coast of North America. These clams are highly valued for their sweet, tender meat, commonly used in chowders, fried clam strips, and sushi. The United States, especially the states of New Jersey and Massachusetts, dominates the global surf clam fishery, operating a well-regulated, large-scale commercial industry that uses hydraulic dredges to harvest these clams from the seafloor. Other countries with notable, though much smaller, surf clam fisheries include Canada, which harvests surf clams off the coasts of Newfoundland and Labrador, and Japan, where related species such as the Japanese surf clam (*Spisula sachalinensis*) are fished. These countries have developed specialized processing industries for both domestic consumption and export, with the U.S. being the clear leader in both catch volume and technological innovation within the surf clam fishing sector.

Data from FAO. 2025. Global Capture Production. In: Fisheries and Aquaculture.