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Geoduck aquaculture or geoduck farming is the practice of cultivating geoducks (specifically the Pacific geoduck, ''Panopea generosa'') for human consumption. The geoduck is a large edible saltwater clam, a marine bivalve mollusk, that is native to the Pacific Northwest. Juvenile geoducks are planted or seeded on the ocean floor or substrate within the soft intertidal and subtidal zones, then harvested five to seven years later when they have reached marketable size (about 1 kg or 2.2 lbs).〔(【引用サイトリンク】url=http://www.dnr.wa.gov/BusinessPermits/Topics/ShellfishAquaticLeasing/Pages/aqr_aqua_geoduck_aquaculture.aspx )〕 They are native to the Pacific region and are found from Baja California, through the Pacific Northwest and Southern Alaska. Most geoducks are harvested from the wild, but because of state government-instituted limits on the amount that can be harvested, the need to grow geoducks in farms to meet an increasing demand has led to the growth of the geoduck aquaculture industry, particularly in Puget Sound, Washington. Geoduck meat is a prized delicacy in Asian cuisine; the majority of exports are sent to China (Shanghai, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Beijing, are the main Chinese markets), Hong Kong and Japan.〔(【引用サイトリンク】url=http://www.aboriginalaquaculture.com/sites/default/files/Market-for-Geoduck.pdf )〕 ==History== 1. Washington State Wild geoducks had been harvested in Puget Sound, Washington by residents and visitors for hundreds of years, but it was not until 1970 that the Washington Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) auctioned off the first right to commercially harvest wild geoducks.〔(【引用サイトリンク】url=http://www.dnr.wa.gov/Publications/aqr_geo_hcp_wildstock_final_july_2008.pdf )〕 Research into the viability of farming geoducks began in the 1970s. In 1991, the development of hatchery and grow-out methods from brood stock were initiated. By 1996, commercial aquaculture had begun. As of 2011, there were 237 commercial sites operating on 145 ha of privately owned properties (including those leased from other private owners). Commercial geoduck aquaculture has been primarily undertaken within the intertidal zone. 2. British Columbia Commercial harvesting of wild geoducks began in 1976. In the early 1990s, the cultivation method developed in Washington was adopted in British Columbia by Fan Seafoods Ltd and the Underwater Harvesters Association (UHA), a group of 55 licence holders for geoduck and horse clam fishery. The UHA used this method to initiate a wild geoduck enhancement program by seeding depleted subtidal areas with cultivated juvenile geoducks thereby ensuring continued supply in the wild. It even invented a mechanical seeder that plants cultured juvenile geoducks on subtidal beds. Through a collaboration agreement between the provincial government's Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO), Fan Seafoods Ltd. and UHA, five pilot sites were selected in 1996 to study the feasibility of a geoduck aquaculture venture. In 2007, the provincial government of B.C. licensed UHA to operate the first commercial geoduck farm on 25.3 ha off Hernando Island. 3. Other areas No geoduck aquaculture industry exists in Southern Alaska〔(【引用サイトリンク】url=http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=geoduck.main )〕 and Mexico.〔 In New Zealand, Cawthron recently reported successful attempts at rearing juvenile geoducks. The plan is to plant them in subtidal areas in order to supplement wild geoduck harvest. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Geoduck aquaculture」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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