In an attempt to improve the substrate condition for Manila clam (Ruditapes philippinarum) culture, crushed oyster (Crassostrea gigas) shells were spread on the muddy tidal flat of Namseong-ri, Podu-myeon, Goheung-gun, Jeollannam-do in April 2008. To test the suitability of the crushed oyster shell added substrate, seed clams were transplanted from Taehwa river estuary in Ulsan city in June 2008. Over 23 months of sampling, the mean grain size and the sorting in the experimental site containing the crushed oyster shell were significantly higher than the control site. The ignition loss, water content, chemical oxygen demand (COD) and acid-volatile sulfide (AVS) level were also significantly higher in the crushed oyste shell added substratum. Survival of the clams transplanted to the crushed oyster shell added substratum was significantly higher and all the clams transplanted to the normal muddy substratum died in August 2009, 13 months after the transplantation. At the end of the experiment in April 2010, the transplanted clams reached 36.10 mm in shell length and 8.92 g in total weight with survival of 43.5%. Our study suggested than crushed oyster shell added in the mud dominant substratum greatly improved living condition and survivability of clams.

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