Razor clams are increasingly farmed and also harvested wild using suction dredging. Their welfare during harvesting and processing raises questions given emerging research on bivalve sensitivity.
Razor clam welfare sits in the same uncertain territory as other bivalves - significant scientific uncertainty about sentience, but some evidence of sensory responsiveness and escape behaviour. The precautionary principle and the scale of razor clam harvesting suggest that investigating lower-impact harvesting and processing methods is worthwhile. Wild dredging causes clear ecological harm to habitat communities beyond razor clams themselves, providing an additional reason to support aquaculture development with minimised environmental impact.