Huge Decline in Landings of Wild Mollusks

byClyde L. MacKenzie, Jr.

J. J. Howard Marine Sciences LaboratoryNortheast Fisheries Sciences Center

Highlands, NJ

and

Mitchell TarnowskiState of Maryland DNR

Annapolis, MD

1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 20090

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

Oyster Landings (All States)

Year

Bush

els x

100

0

1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 20090

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500Maryland

Oysters

Fisherman Licenses

Year

Bush

els x

100

0

Fish

erm

an Li

cens

es

1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 20080

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

900

Softshell Clams

All StatesMaineMaryland

Year

Bush

els x

100

0

1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 20080

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

Bay Scallop Landings

Year

Bush

els x

100

0

1950 1955 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 20100

1000000

2000000

3000000

4000000

5000000

6000000

7000000

8000000

9000000

10000000

Oyster Landings (Chesapeake Bay )

Year

Bush

els

1950 1955 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 20050

200000

400000

600000

800000

1000000

1200000

1400000

1600000

1800000

2000000

Quahog Landings (All States - CT)

Year

Bush

els

1950 1955 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 20050

50000

100000

150000

200000

250000

300000

350000

400000

450000

Quahog Landings (Connecticut)

Year

Bush

els

0

50,000

100,000

150,000

200,000

250,000

300,000

350,000

400,000

450,000

500,000

550,000

1950

1952

1954

1956

1958

1960

1962

1964

1966

1968

1970

1972

1974

1976

1978

1980

1982

1984

1986

1988

1990

1992

1994

1996

1998

2000

2002

2004

2006

Years

Bushels

-95 %

NORTHERN QUAHOGS

+570 %

-95 %

LANDINGS CHANGES SINCE MID 1980S

NORTHERN QUAHOGS

OYSTERS

SOFTSHELL CLAMS

-100 %

-100%

-100 %Declines Since Mid 1980s

BAY SCALLOPS

Declines SinceMid 1980s

-90 %

-95 % -70 %

Surfclams

-95 %

SURFCLAMS

Decline SinceMid 1980s

Declines Since Mid 1980s

-40 %

-95 %

-50 %

LOBSTERS Increase SinceMid 1980s in Maine

+345 %

90 %70 %

95 %

WINTER FLOUNDER

-70 %

Declines Since Mid 1980s