Geoduck
A geoduck (Panopea abrupta), pronounced gooey-duck, is a large salt-water clam that burrows deep under coastal tidelands of the Pacific northwest, particularly Puget Sound. Considered a delicacy in Asian cuisines, geoducks are a lucrative local industry, and they are controlled by governmental offices to maintain an ecologically sound community.
Recent harvests by the Taylor Shellfish Farms, in Pierce County, Washington State have come under fire from the Coalition to Protect Puget Sound Habitat and the Case Inlet Beach Association, because of a licensing dispute.1
Fast Facts
- Adult weight: Up to 1.9 pounds2
- Lifespan: Reaches adulthood in 5-10 years2
- Oldest recorded geoduck: 168 years2
- Origins of name: Anglicized version of Native American gweduc, "dig deep"3
- Habitat: Burrows to 360 feet deep as juveniles and never move again 2
- Harvest season: During a minus two feet tide3
Related Pages on Mahalo
Carpaccio | Clams | Mussels | Marine Biology | Ecology | Washington State
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