Clam Flat Surveys

Bar Harbor Survey
Connor Cove Survey
Bass Harbor Survey (Wired Magazine)
Partners

Clam flats around Mount Desert Island have been closed due to bacterial contamination. MDIWQC works with the help of students from Tremont Consolidated School in Southwest Harbor, and MDI High School to survey these clamflats. Since 1997, surveys have been conducted at Bar Harbor, Bass Harbor, Clark Cove, Salisbury Cove, Somes Sound, Hadley Point, and Connor Cove. The survey at Hadley point showed that conservation closures have been very effective in preserving soft shell clam populations. Results of the the 2003 Bar Harbor survey indicate that reopening the clamflats could restore a $135,000 per year resource to the community:

Clam Yield: 34 plots every 100 ft. over 8.5 acres =35.5 bushels/acre. 7 plots every 10 ft. over .01 acres (700 square ft.)=124 bushels/acre

Summary: There is a substantial soft-shell clam resource on the Bar in Bar
Harbor. Some areas are particularly rich. At low tide the bar measures 45.7 acres. Using the lower clam yield, the value of the soft-shell clam resource on the Bar is at least $134,655 per year.