Abstract

Surveys were carried out during 1998, 1999 Y 2002 when interviews were performed to fishermen, buyers, govemment officers, and local people. The main objective was to describe the existent areas where the clam Mercenaria sp. is located and some important fishing issues, such as fishing gears, harvesting methods, labor periods and marketing. In most areas, clam harvest is uneven and has domestic consumption, only in Carmen lagoon, Tabasco an incipient commercial fishing exists, although small extractions exist in Tamaulipas and El Bellote, Tabasco. Clam production in Carmen Lagoon, Tabasco, from 1995 to 1998 was around seven tons. In this area there are 20 clam fishers, all men, ranging in age between 15 and 20 years. They attend the harvest areas using boats of 7.5 meters of length. The harvest method is manual, and it comprises "feet touching" to a depth of 1 to 1.20 m. Each fisherman extracts 200 to 250 clams in one single trip of four hours. The paid price by clam depends on size ($0.40 to $0.80 Mexican pesos by piece) and the prices of sale in the markets are $1.50 to $2.00 pesos. The clam markets are Mexico City and other cities and towns, such as Oaxaca, Coatzacoalcos, Veracruz and Paraiso. Due to the demand on such a small-scale fishery, further development is likely. However, little information about the potential of clam banks is available, as well as their biology and ecology. Therefore, it is recommended to carry out studies to know the resource availability in the different zones to recommend future management measures for extraction.

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