April 8, 2015Virginia oyster and clam sales break records in 2014
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (AP) — Virginia’s clam and oyster industries enjoyed a record year in 2014.
A new report says a record 243 million hard clams were sold last year. About 39.8 million oysters were sold, also a record. Sales for both industries totaled a record $56 million. The amount includes about $39 million in clam sales and $17 million in oyster sales. Shellfish farmers provided the data for the annual Virginia Shellfish Aquaculture Situation and Outlook Report, which was released Tuesday. Karen Hudson with the Virginia Institute of Marine Science co-authored the report. She tells The Daily Press that oyster growers’ revenue increased by 33 percent from 2013, while clam growers’ revenue increased by 14 percent. About 86 percent of oysters farmed in Virginia were sold out-of-state.