This stock is data limited. There is concern for the biomass and fishing pressure due to lack of data. There are few appropriate management measures in place for shore based gathering of razor clam fisheries in Scotland. No stock information or management measures have been implemented in Scotland, despite a long standing electrofishing trial designed for this purpose. There are also concerns that electrofished clams are sold as purely hand gathered when they have been stunned using electrofishing gear and then dive gathered. More data and transparency on the market is needed to improve management. Shore based hand gathering of razor clams is a low impact fishing method as there is no bycatch and it is unlikely to cause habitat damage.Rating last updated in December 2022.

This stock is data limited. There is concern for the biomass and fishing pressure due to lack of data. There are some management measures in place for specific areas for razor clams in Wales, but there are no country wide management measures and it is not possible to assess the effectiveness of the measures in place. Shore based hand gathering of razor clams is a low impact fishing method as there is no bycatch and it is unlikely to cause habitat damage. In some areas with reported fisheries in Wales there are protections in place for wading birds that rely on shellfish for food.Rating last updated December 2022.

Razor clam stocks in England are data limited. There is concern for biomass and fishing pressure due to lack of data. There are few appropriate management measures in place for hand gathered razor clam fisheries. There are concerns that clams are sold as purely hand gathered when they have been stunned using illegal electrofishing gear and then dive gathered. More transparency on the market is needed to improve management. Hand gathering of razor clams is a low impact fishing method as there is no bycatch and it is unlikely to cause habitat damage.

This stock is data limited. There is concern for the biomass and fishing pressure due to lack of data. There are few appropriate management measures in place for razor clam fisheries. There is very limited information about management of dredge caught razor clams in the UK (excluding Scotland). There are concerns that clams harvested using illegal electrofishing gear are mis-sold on the market. Dredging can be damaging to seabed habitats and species and is known to occur in marine protected areas. However, some vulnerable habitats and species are protected through closed areas, closed seasons and gear restrictions. There could be some concern for bycatch, mainly due to damage from dredge gear.Rating last updated in December 2022.

Razor clams in the UK are data limited. There is no information about whether population sizes and fishing pressure are at sustainable levels. There are few management measures in place. There are concerns that clams sold as 'hand dived' may sometimes have been stunned using illegal electrofishing gear. More transparency is needed to improve management. Dive gathering of razor clams - if not using illegal electrofishing - is a low impact method as there is no bycatch and it is unlikely to cause habitat damage.

For more information about this rating please visit: http://www.cornwallgoodseafoodguide.org.uk/fish-guide/razor-clams.php