Several species of giant clam might now be extinct in parts
of the Pacific if it hadn’t been for a series of ACIAR projects in the 1980s
and 1990s. The story is told in the current Fiji Airways inflight magazine (July/August
2017 issue), and a more detailed version of the project’s legacy in the
Philippines is found in the latest issue of ACIAR's Partners magazine, focusing on our work in the Philippines.
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| Maintenance of the juvenile giant clams in the lagoon nursery |
Of course, ACIAR isn’t a conservation organisation, and enhancing
tourists’ snorkelling experiences isn’t a major work focus – though it’s a
happy spin-off. Giant clams are a significant food source for many coastal
communities, they are indicators of healthy reef systems and well-managed
community fisheries, and they have income potential if market chains can be worked
out.
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| Giant clams (Tridacna gigas) back from extinction in the Philippines |
The projects developed aquaculture systems for giant clams
that are still in use in several Pacific countries today. Over the years many
thousands of giant clams have been restocked on Pacific reefs, to the delight
of local communities and snorkelers, now and into the future.
Read about giant clams in our latest Partners magazine.
ACIAR project information
The culture of the giant clam for food and restocking of tropical reefs
Words and pictures from Anne Moorhead
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