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Bivalve mollusks are important aquaculture and fisheries resources. On the Atlantic coast of Uruguay, the yellow clam Mesodesma mactroides has been traditionally exploited by hand. In recent years, its consumption has been notoriously valued, becoming a gastronomic product for regional restaurants. To obtain a quality product, a process of sand purification is carried out, keeping the clams in seawater tanks for short periods. However, there is no knowledge about the effects of this process or an analysis of the optimal conditions of purification. The goal of this paper was to experimentally evaluate several techniques that allow keeping M. mactroides state under laboratory conditions. Survival tests were performed to evaluate labeling, diets, types of artificial marine water (AMW), anatomical position of the organisms in captivity and substrate. The results showed that survival was not affected by the marking method and the legibility of the labels was not altered. Dry Spirulina was adequate as an alternative diet. The AMW of simpler composition and lower cost significantly increased survival after the first week of experimentation. Keeping individuals upright significantly increased survival compared to a horizontal position. These results have immediate applicability, contributing in the medium term to the development of the species in captivity.

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Climate change impacts on fishery resources have been widely reported worldwide. Nevertheless, a knowledge gap remains for the warm-temperate Southwest Atlantic Ocean—a global warming hotspot that sustains important industrial and small-scale fisheries. By combining a trait-based framework and long-term landing records, we assessed species’ sensitivity to climate change and potential changes in the distribution of important fishery resources (n = 28; i.e., bony fishes, chondrichthyans, crustaceans, and mollusks) in Southern Brazil, Uruguay, and the northern shelf of Argentina. Most species showed moderate or high sensitivity, with mollusks (e.g., sedentary bivalves and snails) being the group with the highest sensitivity, followed by chondrichthyans. Bony fishes showed low and moderate sensitivities, while crustacean sensitivities were species-specific. The stock and/or conservation status overall contributed the most to higher sensitivity. Between 1989 and 2019, species with low and moderate sensitivity dominated regional landings, regardless of the jurisdiction analyzed. A considerable fraction of these landings consisted of species scoring high or very high on an indicator for potential to change their current distribution. These results suggest that although the bulk of past landings were from relatively climate-resilient species, future catches and even entire benthic fisheries may be jeopardized because (1) some exploited species showed high or very high sensitivities and (2) the increase in the relative representation of landings in species whose distribution may change. This paper provides novel results and insights relevant for fisheries management from a region where the effects of climate change have been overlooked, and which lacks a coordinated governance system for climate-resilient fisheries.