Our surveillances of New York's surfclam populations in the Atlantic Ocean demonstrated the presence of significant levels of abnormal gonadal development, namely the presence in gonads of abnormally high levels of cytolytic and degrading gametes. These findings, concomitant with a significant decrease in surfclams population biomass and disappearance of juvenile clams from the population, are particularly alarming. This project aims at the establishment of a thorough health surveillance of surfclam populations in New York waters, and the execution of laboratory experiments investigating the effect of temperature on clam energetic balance and reproductive success. Based on available population (year class strength) and physical (temperature) data, the relationship between surfclam recruitment and prevailing physical conditions will be established.

Female surfclam gonad showing severe hemocyte infiltration and atresia