2009 - 2009 Centre for Environment, Fisheries & Aquaculture Science (Cefas) Eastern Irish Sea Razor Clam Survey 2009/10 - Fisheries Science Partnership

The fishing vessel Lord Sam ll was chartered to carry out a survey of razor clam populations on the Cumbrian coast. The aim of the survey was to establish whether a commercially viable stock of razor clam existed in this area. The survey was delayed by inclement weather, but was eventually completed in February 2010. The Seafish/Cefas experimental water-jet dredge was employed north of Walney Island, but there were problems in deploying the gear safely. Those problems added to the sea-time lost through poor weather. In all, 34 dredge deployments were made, but at only 26 of these did the dredge fish successfully. Where the dredge did work well, good catches of the razor clam Ensis siliqua were taken; up to 17 kg in a 10-min haul, although the average catch was ~5kg. The razor clam caught covered a wide size range and young animals from at least two year classes were present, suggesting that successful recruitment is a regular occurrence in the population. The adult population had a modal size pf 185 mm shell length. The highest biomass in by-catches was contributed by the heart urchin Echinocardium cordatum., Several clam species, two possibly with commercial potential, were found regularly.