Volunteer with us!
Pismo Clam Project
Every month we survey locally for Pismo clams on Pismo Beach, CA. These surveys are helping us create a long term data set about clams on Pismo Beach and allow us to collect monthly samples for reproduction studies! Our surveys are completed with the help from Cal Poly students and community members!
We'd love to have your help! If you are interested in participating on an upcoming survey, please sign up for our email list here. We send emails once or twice per month to advertise for upcoming surveys!
FAQ's
What happens during a survey?: We start near the top (inland) portion of the beach and run transects perpendicular to the ocean (essentially a long line). Sand is dug in 3 meter sections as far into the intertidal as possible. We run the sand through a custom sieve which allows us to document very small clams. We measure each clam and either collect them for lab analysis or rebury them! Fieldwork is physically demanding (shoveling, lifting/carrying buckets of water, etc) and at the whims of the tides! Fall/winter tides are comfortably in the afternoon, while spring/summer tides are very early in the morning.
How long does a survey take?: Surveys begin ~2 hours before low tide and last for 4-6 hours.
What should I bring?: Wear close toed shoes, such as dive booties, boots, or old sneakers, and clothes that can get wet/sandy. For evening/early morning tides, I encourage you to bring a headlamp. Water and snacks! :) We provide all survey equipment.
We'd love to have your help! If you are interested in participating on an upcoming survey, please sign up for our email list here. We send emails once or twice per month to advertise for upcoming surveys!
FAQ's
What happens during a survey?: We start near the top (inland) portion of the beach and run transects perpendicular to the ocean (essentially a long line). Sand is dug in 3 meter sections as far into the intertidal as possible. We run the sand through a custom sieve which allows us to document very small clams. We measure each clam and either collect them for lab analysis or rebury them! Fieldwork is physically demanding (shoveling, lifting/carrying buckets of water, etc) and at the whims of the tides! Fall/winter tides are comfortably in the afternoon, while spring/summer tides are very early in the morning.
How long does a survey take?: Surveys begin ~2 hours before low tide and last for 4-6 hours.
What should I bring?: Wear close toed shoes, such as dive booties, boots, or old sneakers, and clothes that can get wet/sandy. For evening/early morning tides, I encourage you to bring a headlamp. Water and snacks! :) We provide all survey equipment.
About the Project
Background Information:
Pismo clams (Tivela stultorum) were harvested in the millions on Pismo Beach, California and supported a cannery industry and important commercial and recreational fisheries. Overharvest of Pismo clams (early clammers would use horsedrawn plows!) led to a commercial harvest ban in 1947, which persists today. Although you can still harvest Pismo clams recreationally in California with the proper shellfish license from California Department of Fish and Wildlife, the last legal sized clam was harvested on Pismo Beach in 1993. Our study hopes to help understand why Pismo clam populations haven’t recovered and learn more about their basic biology, as very little research or monitoring has been completed since the clam’s decline in the 1940’s.
Pismo clams (Tivela stultorum) were harvested in the millions on Pismo Beach, California and supported a cannery industry and important commercial and recreational fisheries. Overharvest of Pismo clams (early clammers would use horsedrawn plows!) led to a commercial harvest ban in 1947, which persists today. Although you can still harvest Pismo clams recreationally in California with the proper shellfish license from California Department of Fish and Wildlife, the last legal sized clam was harvested on Pismo Beach in 1993. Our study hopes to help understand why Pismo clam populations haven’t recovered and learn more about their basic biology, as very little research or monitoring has been completed since the clam’s decline in the 1940’s.
Population Surveys:
We are completing field surveys for Pismo clams throughout central and southern California. Our field surveys have 2 major components:
These surveys will help us determine seasonal patterns of juvenile settlement, spatial patterns of abundance and size/age classes, and which conditions are 'optimal' for Pismo clams.
We are completing field surveys for Pismo clams throughout central and southern California. Our field surveys have 2 major components:
- Local surveys on Pismo Beach, CA every month
- Surveys throughout CA during summers in 2018 and 2019
These surveys will help us determine seasonal patterns of juvenile settlement, spatial patterns of abundance and size/age classes, and which conditions are 'optimal' for Pismo clams.
A subset of clams are collected for reproductive analyses. These tissues are preserved, cut extremely thin (5 micrometers!) and stained to see micro-anatomy!
Laboratory Analysis:
Every month we collect Pismo clams to understand seasonal trends in reproduction. We hope this work will shed light on a few key questions:
Every month we collect Pismo clams to understand seasonal trends in reproduction. We hope this work will shed light on a few key questions:
- Does reproduction occur at the same time and same sizes as initial estimates from the 1940's?
- Has the size at first reproductive event changed due to human harvest pressure and reduced clam populations?
- What are the impacts to reproductive success of the population without large sized clams on the beach?