You say shipworms, they say naked clams
Seafood sellers are famous for their rebranding of species with sinister names. Dogfish became “rock salmon”, toothfish were transformed into “Chilean sea bass” and slimehead were reborn as “orange roughy” – and all their sales duly went through the roof.
Most recently a group of researchers has discovered that the shipworm – a bivalve previously thought of primarily as a boat-munching pest – has the potential to both be farmed and eaten. It’s an exciting discovery but – quite rightly – the researchers have anticipated that few people will want worms on their menus, so have recommended rebranding them as “naked clams” and processing them into reassuringly fish finger-like forms.
As potentially one of the most sustainable and nutritious forms of seafood out there, here’s hoping that consumers take the bait and that - one day - we're regularly writing about a thriving shipworm sector.
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Research Fellow, Director of Studies & Praelector at University of Cambridge | Passion for Research, Conservation, Food Security, Health, Performance
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