Geoducks are long-lived giant clams farmed in Pacific Northwest waters, with welfare considerations around their remarkable longevity and the cultivation practices used in their production.
Geoduck welfare considerations are subject to the same scientific uncertainty as other bivalves regarding the capacity for pain and conscious suffering. The extraordinary longevity of geoducks (150+ years potential) raises questions about the welfare significance of harvesting individuals that may have grown for decades. Harvest involves mechanical excavation of buried geoducks that disrupts their burrow environment. The ecological role of long-lived geoducks in structuring benthic habitats means their removal has broader ecological welfare implications for associated species. From a precautionary welfare perspective, the uncertainty about bivalve sentience combined with the remarkable longevity of geoducks warrants consideration of their treatment.