The Gulf Shellfish Institute wants to plant over a million southern hard clams on five acres in Little Bokeelia Bay, just off Pine Island. State environmental managers have already given the group a thumbs-up to get started.
This isn’t some short-term project. The Institute’s “All Clams on Deck” initiative has been running for years. Their focus? Rebuilding seagrass and clam populations in Charlotte Harbor, as well as in Tampa and Sarasota bays. They’re convinced that shellfish aquaculture can give a real lift to Southwest Florida’s estuaries and fuel the local economy.
Shellfish aquaculture isn’t new. People farm clams, oysters, and mussels by raising them in bags, cages, or marked plots until they’re big enough to harvest. But this 5-acre parcel in Little Bokeelia Bay stands out. It sits in an area closed to shellfish cultivation. The Institute picked it up after a snorkeling trip in June found it just right for restoration.
Their idea is simple: fill the area with a dense population of clams, turning it into a “spawner sanctuary.” With so many filter feeders packed in, the group expects cleaner water and, if all goes as planned, the return of seagrasses.
State agriculture officials gave the plan their approval, so the final call landed on the September 29th agenda for Governor Ron DeSantis and the Florida Cabinet. As of Thursday, October 1, 2026, there was no word yet on their decision.
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