The Lyrate hard clam (Meretrix lyrata) or Ben Tre Clam fishery is a traditional source of food with a high nutritional value and provides employment for the local people living in coastal areas. Ben Tre Clam (Meretrix lyrata) is an abundant and valuable resource in large coastal areas stretching from Can Gio District (Ho Chi Minh City) to a number of provinces of the Mekong Delta including Tien Giang, Ben Tre, Tra Vinh, Bac Lieu and others, of which Ben Tre is the most important.

In Vietnam, the simplest traditional method of clam management in sand flat area is the bottom management system that is also called the broadcast, bottom sowing or relaying technique. Wild spat, or “clam seed”, at a size typically of 300-5000 clams/kg, is transferred to suitable “nursery” sand flat areas for a period of 10 – 12 months up to a size of 100 – 300 clams/kg, which are used for further relaying and ongrowing to adult size in dedicated “commercial management” sand flat areas (Luu et al 2009). This particular fishery was certified by the Marine Stewardship Council system in November 2009. Click here to link to the MSC fishery page and to learn more about the MSC fishery certification unit. This species also occurs along the coasts of Taiwan, the Philippines, and Southern China.

The Lyrate hard clam (Meretrix lyrata) or Ben Tre Clam fishery is a traditional source of food with a high nutritional value and provides employment for the local people living in coastal areas. Ben Tre Clam (Meretrix lyrata) is an abundant and valuable resource in large coastal areas stretching from Can Gio District (Ho Chi Minh City) to a number of provinces of the Mekong Delta including Tien Giang, Ben Tre, Tra Vinh, Bac Lieu and others, of which Ben Tre is the most important.

In Vietnam, the simplest traditional method of clam management in sand flat area is the bottom management system that is also called the broadcast, bottom sowing or relaying technique. Wild spat, or “clam seed”, at a size typically of 300-5000 clams/kg, is transferred to suitable “nursery” sand flat areas for a period of 10 – 12 months up to a size of 100 – 300 clams/kg, which are used for further relaying and ongrowing to adult size in dedicated “commercial management” sand flat areas (Luu et al 2009). This particular fishery was certified by the Marine Stewardship Council system in November 2009. Click here to link to the MSC fishery page and to learn more about the MSC fishery certification unit. This species also occurs along the coasts of Taiwan, the Philippines, and Southern China.