According to the Daily Press, of those 211 million clams, 90 percent were shipped to out-of-state buyers.
A survey conducted by the Virginia Institute of Marine Sciences Sea Grant Extension Program reports that hardshell clam aquaculture growers increased their plantings in 2007 by 77 million clams.
Aquaculture specialist Mike Oesterling says Virginia has the largest shellfish aquaculture industry on the East Coast, and it continues to grow.
Shellfish aquaculture is the farming of hardshell clams and oysters under controlled conditions.
Hardshell Clams Booming in Virginia
US - Virginia's growing hardshell clam industry produced more than 200 million of the bivalves in 2007.