RHODE ISLAND’S SHELLFISH HERITAGE RHODE ISLAND’S SHELLFISH HERITAGE An Ecological History The shellfish in Narragansett Bay and Rhode Island’s salt ponds have pro- vided humans with sustenance for over 2,000 years. Over time, shellfi sh have gained cultural significance, with their harvest becoming a family tradition and their shells ofered as tokens of appreciation and represent- ed as works of art. This book delves into the history of Rhode Island’s iconic oysters, qua- hogs, and all the well-known and lesser-known species in between. It of ers the perspectives of those who catch, grow, and sell shellfi sh, as well as of those who produce wampum, sculpture, and books with shell- fi sh"—"particularly quahogs"—"as their medium or inspiration. Rhode Island’s Shellfish Heritage: An Ecological History, written by Sarah Schumann (herself a razor clam harvester), grew out of the 2014 R.I. Shell- fi sh Management Plan, which was the first such plan created for the state under the auspices of the R.I. Department of Environmental Management and the R.I. Coastal Resources Management Council. Special thanks go to members of the Shellfi sh Management Plan team who contributed to the development of this book: David Beutel of the Coastal Resources Manage- Wampum necklace by Allen Hazard ment Council, Dale Leavitt of Roger Williams University, and Jef Mercer PHOTO BY ACACIA JOHNSON of the Department of Environmental Management. Production of this book was sponsored by the Coastal Resources Center and Rhode Island Sea Grant at the University of Rhode Island Graduate School of Oceanography, and by the Coastal Institute at the University SCHUMANN of Rhode Island, with support from the Rhode Island Council for the Hu- manities, the Rhode Island Foundation, The Prospect Hill Foundation, BY SARAH SCHUMANN . 2015 the Sharpe Family Foundation/Henry and Peggy Sharpe, and van Beuren Coastal Resources Center Charitable Foundation. Coastal Institute Rhode Island Sea Grant ISBN: 978-0-692-49054-9 RHODE ISLAND’S SHELLFISH HERITAGE RHODE ISLAND’S SHELLFISH HERITAGE An Ecological History The shellfi sh in Narragansett Bay and Rhode Island’s salt ponds have pro- vided humans with sustenance for over 2,000 years. Over time, shellfi sh have gained cultural signifi cance, with their harvest becoming a family tradition and their shells of ered as tokens of appreciation and represent- ed as works of art. This book delves into the history of Rhode Island’s iconic oysters, qua- hogs, and all the well-known and lesser-known species in between. It of ers the perspectives of those who catch, grow, and sell shellfi sh, as well as of those who produce wampum, sculpture, and books with shell- fi sh"—"particularly quahogs"—"as their medium or inspiration. Rhode Island’s Shellfi sh Heritage: An Ecological History, written by Sarah Schumann (herself a razor clam harvester), grew out of the 2014 R.I. Shell- fi sh Management Plan, which was the fi rst such plan created for the state under the auspices of the R.I. Department of Environmental Management and the R.I. Coastal Resources Management Council. Special thanks go to members of the Shellfi sh Management Plan team who contributed to the development of this book: David Beutel of the Coastal Resources Manage- Wampum necklace by Allen Hazard ment Council, Dale Leavitt of Roger Williams University, and Jef Mercer PHOTO BY ACACIA JOHNSON of the Department of Environmental Management. Production of this book was sponsored by the Coastal Resources Center and Rhode Island Sea Grant at the University of Rhode Island Graduate School of Oceanography, and by the Coastal Institute at the University SCHUMANN of Rhode Island, with support from the Rhode Island Council for the Hu- manities, the Rhode Island Foundation, The Prospect Hill Foundation, BY SARAH SCHUMANN . 2015 the Sharpe Family Foundation/Henry and Peggy Sharpe, and van Beuren Coastal Resources Center Charitable Foundation. Coastal Institute Rhode Island Sea Grant ISBN: 978-0-692-49054-9 RHODE ISLAND’S SHELLFISH HERITAGE An Ecological History 1 RHODE ISLAND’S SHELLFISH HERITAGE An Ecological History BY SARAH SCHUMANN . 2015 Coastal Resources Center Coastal Institute Rhode Island Sea Grant 2 3 PHOTO BY MELISSA DEVINE 4 CONTENTS One TURNING BACK THE TIDES 7 Two EARLIEST HARVESTS 15 Three WHEN OYSTERS BLANKETED THE BAY 21 Four THE ‘FREE’ FISHERY 37 Five A BAY IN TRANSITION 47 Six THE QUAHOG ERA’S EMBATTLED START 55 Seven HEYDAY OF THE INDEPENDENT QUAHOGGER 65 Eight TOOLS OF THE QUAHOG TRADE 73 Nine OTHER WILD HARVESTS 81 Ten A COLLECTIVE EFFORT 93 Eleven THE WILD SHELLFISH SUPPLY CHAIN: THEN AND NOW 109 Twelve THE REBIRTH OF AQUACULTURE 119 Thirteen SHELLFISHING FOR FOOD AND FUN 135 Fourteen ENHANCING SHELLFISH IN RHODE ISLAND WATERS 141 Fifteen A RHODE ISLAND ICON 149 Sixteen LIFE ON AND OFF THE WATER 159 A mural by artist Paul Sample at the post ofce in the Apponaug neighborhood of Warwick commemorates Rhode Island’s shellfishing heritage. It was commis- sioned during the Works Progress Administration. PHOTO BY MELISSA DEVINE 6 One TURNING BACK THE TIDES HUMANS HAVE HARVESTED the shellfsh resources of Narragansett Bay, Little Narragansett Bay, and Rhode Island’s coastal salt ponds for at least 2,700 years—nearly 2 million tidal cycles. Turning back these tides, peer- ing into shellfsheries of decades and centuries past, brings to light not only the enduring importance of shellfsh to Rhode Island, but also the ways in which the human relationship with these resources has changed through time. Although the sensory experience of shellfsh may be identical now to what it was 100 or 1,000 years ago, the abundance of diferent kinds of shellfsh, the technology used to harvest shellfsh, and the societal values governing the use of Rhode Island shellfsh have varied dramatically from generation to generation. Early on, shellfsh were harvested only from shore. In the 19th centu- ry, oysters and soft-shell clams (steamers) were the primary wild shellfsh that inhabited Narragansett Bay. And prior to the last hundred years, all shellfsh in Rhode Island waters were wild, scattered in the water by Mother Nature alone. Now, shellfshing from a boat is widespread, wild quahogs outnumber wild oysters and soft-shell clams by orders of 7 magnitude, and aquafarmers nurture a cultured crop alongside the wild shellfsheries. Market trends, the global economy, weather, industrialization, and a host of other factors have shaped the course of shellfsheries over time. Tese changes have spurred innovation within the shellfsheries, and have also prompted intense deliberations about how to best manage access to Rhode Island’s shellfsh resources. Should shellfsh resources be accessi- ble to all, or to a select few who commit to enhancing their abundance? Should shellfsh be farmed, or remain subject to the vagaries of natural spawning? Should commercial shellfshermen be allowed to use mechan- ical assistance, or should they rely on their own bodies as a sole source of power when hauling their gear? In cofee shops and conference rooms, from the daily papers to the dealers’ shops, Rhode Islanders have deliberated on how best to care for the state’s shellfsh to produce the greatest beneft for the people of the state. As future tides ebb and fow through the shellfsh waters of the state, they will further alter the character of its shellfsheries. But one thing seems likely to stay the same: shellfsh will continue to be one of Rhode Island’s greatest treasures. SALTWATER LIVELIHOODS As a commercial resource, Rhode Island shellfsh support a diverse group of people. From the commercial fshermen who scoop up quahogs from the bottom of the bay to the aquafarmers who nurture young oysters in leased plots, and from the seafood dealers who ship Rhode Island’s famed shellfsh around the country to the local clam shacks serving up ‘stufes’ to hungry tourists, thousands of residents make their living, directly and indirectly, from the harvest of these creatures. A NATURAL SHELLFISH FACTORY Rhode Island’s climate, geology, and biological characteristics work to- gether to make its waters ideal for a variety of shellfsheries. Its brackish coves, saltwater ‘rivers,’ and coastal ponds are quiet waters where sand and mud accumulate, creating ideal habitat for quahogs, soft-shell clams, razor clams, and scallops. Wave-swept shorelines provide the rocky bot- tom habitat preferred by oysters and mussels. As habitats have changed, so have shellfsheries. A major part of TOP PHOTO COURTESY OF THE NORTH KINGSTOWN FREE LIBRARY, BOTTOM PHOTO that change has been tied to water pollution. As the state’s population © NATHAN BLANEY/GETTY IMAGES and land use increased, runof from farmland and sewage efuent en- 8 riched the waters of Narragansett Bay and the salt ponds with nutrients that help shellfsh thrive. However, excesses of these nutrients sup- pressed the growth of eelgrass, causing scallop populations to struggle, and released slews of microbes into various areas, making the shellfsh there unft for human consumption. As Rhode Island strives to reverse the efects of water pollution, it has an ally in shellfsh themselves: as flter feeders, shellfsh clean several gallons of water apiece in the span of a single day. Rhode Island’s natural resources are not remarkable. Farming land of wonderful fertility, or vast mineral resources are not hers. Te one feature which has been prominent since the discovery of the continent is Employees of American Mussel the supply of shell-fsh. Harvesters inspect farm-grown oysters on a conveyor belt. PHOTO COURTESY OF GREG SILKES, AMERICAN rhode island agricultural experimentation MUSSEL HARVESTERS station bulletin, 1896 9 OVERVIEW OF RHODE ISLAND’S SHELLFISH Te Ocean State’s most celebrated shellfsh is the quahog—ofcially named the ‘state shellfsh’ in 1987—but at least eight other species are harvested commercially or recreationally from the state’s salt waters.