Preparing Florida hard clam, Mercenaria mercenaria, culture for climate change

Increasing ocean temperatures and sea level rise occurring from climate change will affect worldwide coastal fisheries, oyster-based ecosystems and aquaculture. Models predict that average surface temperature of the Earth could increase 1.8- 4.0°C by 2100. Organisms that are currently near temperature thresholds are likely to suffer increasing mortality. Shellfish growers across Florida, USA have experienced losses of market-size clams when summer water temperatures exceed 32°C, especially on the Gulf of Mexico coast where temperatures have increased by 0.3 to 2.0°C in the past 20-30 yrs. In light of recurring summer mortality events, as well as increasing ocean temperatures, it is clear that the Florida clam aquaculture industry needs a heat-tolerant clam strain to reduce summer mortalities, adapt to future climate change, and continue to contribute to global food security.