Clam fishers can keep catching the same amount, and small surfclams are now legal

The US government will keep the fishing quotas for Atlantic surfclams and ocean quahogs at current levels for 2025. It also removed the minimum size limit for Atlantic surfclams for the next year, meaning smaller clams can now be harvested.

This rule means clam fishers can continue operating as they have been, without new restrictions on how much they can catch. The removal of the minimum size limit for surfclams could allow them to harvest more clams overall, potentially increasing their yield from existing fishing grounds. This change could affect the economics of clam harvesting by making it easier to fill quotas.