Vietnam Ben Tre clam is also called Asiatic hard clam and was largely found in Ben Tre province in Vietnam. The fishing methods used are by hand or metal rakes with a net pocket. The scientific name of Asiatic hard clam is Meretrix lyrata and it is a bivalve mollusc inhabiting intertidal and shallow sub tidal sand flat areas, typically in outer estuary areas where the proportions of sand and mud are around 80 percent and 20 percent, respectively.
The species is commonly grows to 50mm in length inter-tidally but can be much larger subtidally. In the Mekong Delta, Vietnam, the species is widely distributed in sand flat areas of which the highest density and production are recorded in Ben Tre province. Commerical harvesting takes place all year round, but the great majority takes place in the period April to October. Over low tide the commercial size clams are harvested manually, usually with the aid of a rake. A net to allow the return of small clams is used.
The main markets for this kind of species are both in Ben Tre and elsewhere in Vietnam. But the processed meat of this clam are largely exported to international markets such as the EU, Japan, China, Taiwan, USA, of which the EU is usually the most important.
