WWW.WAS.ORG • WORLD AQUACULTURE • SEPTEMBER 2019 53 Many aquaculture projects in the Pacific are focused on low trophic level species. The aquaculture of such species does not usually cause eutrophication and is more sustainable because it does not depend on fishery products such as fishmeal. Inshore species that have been overfished or are limited by recruitment are good candidates for restocking and stock enhancement in the Pacific. Throughout much of the Pacific, some bivalve species are in great need of restocking, as in the case of giant clams. Pacific clam Asaphis violascens, known locally as jukkwe (Fig. 2), is a benthic bivalve found in lagoonal sand flats at depths of 1-20 m. This species is common in a narrow zone on beaches on the lagoon side of atolls and in similar habitats on the ocean sides of islets. It is the dominant and often only bivalve in this habitat (Poutiers 1998). It is a suspension feeder and sexual maturity is reached in about six months at a size of 18-20 mm (Rimmer et al. 2001). This clam is considered a highly valued food species in the region. Archaeological research has demonstrated that Marshall Islanders exploited this resource for subsistence and as raw material since colonization about 2000 years ago (Harris and Weisler 2018). On many islands, they are harvested as single clams, where gatherers search for siphonal openings and then extract the shellfish (Paulay 2000). Because the clams inhabit a zone accessible even on the highest tides, it is a valuable resource for subsistence gatherers, making it vulnerable to overharvesting (Catterall and Poiner Pacific Island nations are facing several upcoming challenges caused by climate change and are looking for alternatives to manage coastal resources to bypass economic vulnerability and unsustainable development. The Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) is an archipelago of 29 atolls and five low-lying coral islands (Fig. 1). The standard of living in the RMI has been steadily declining because of the expanding population and the fall of copra prices, the primary source of cash income to many atoll communities (Bueno 2014). Historically seafood has been an important component in the nutrition of Marshallese citizens. Living marine resources in the capital city Majuro and in the outer islands have long been exploited for subsistence purposes. The replacement of traditional foods with rice and other imported goods of urban populations after the 1950s resulted in increased obesity and a greater incidence of cardiovascular disease, hypertension and diabetes. Also, at present, food security and capture fisheries are at risk from increasing pressure on marine resources and other environmental stressors, some related to climate change. Aquaculture represents a tremendous potential for contributing significantly to food security and adequate nutrition for human population growth. It is a relatively new activity in the Pacific Islands and generally there is no traditional knowledge for culturing fish or shellfish. The main cultured species in RMI are the black-lip pearl oyster Pinctada margaritifera and the giant clam Tridacna spp., for jewelry and the aquarium trade, respectively. Annual aquaculture production in Marshall Islands in 2014 was estimated to be 10,000 pieces (Guillet 2016). In Search of Sustainable Aquaculture Practices in the Republic of the Marshall Islands: Culture Potential of the Pacific Clam Sergio Nestor Bolasina FIGURE 1. Location of the Republic of the Marshall Islands. Copyright 2019 Mapsland. FIGURE 2. Pacific clam Asaphis violascens. (TEXT CONTINUED ON PAGE 54)
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