UK: Shipworms to be bred as nutritious seafood for humans

Researchers at the University of Cambridge have developed an aquaculture system based on wood waste to breed so-called "shipworms" as a new seafood product. The long white sea clams grow at a tremendous rate and can reach 30cm in length in just six months, feeding on woody waste and providing a highly nutritious protein. Scientifically named Teredinids, these creatures have no shell but are classified as bivalves and are related to oysters and mussels. Because naked clams do not expend energy growing their shells, they grow much faster than mussels and oysters, which can take two years to reach a harvestable size. Naked clams are traditionally considered pests because the "shipworm" burrows into any wood submerged in seawater, including ships, piers and docks. Cambridge researchers found that vitamin B12 levels in naked clams are higher than most other bivalves and almost twice as high as blue mussels. And with the addition of algae-based feed to the system, shipworms can be ...