There are no reliable stock assessments for manila clams in this area. The species is currently being overfishedOverfished:
A stock is overfished when the stock size has decreased so far that it can no longer produce a maximum sustainable yield. The size of the fish populations is insufficient to reproduce in the long term. .
Although there is a lack of information, harvesting bivalves has a large impact on the ecosystem. Using dredgesBoat dredges:
A fishing method used for collecting shellfish and crustaceans from the bottom. The ship drags a steel frame with a net over the bottom, in which shellfish and crustaceans are caught. Large ships can drag multiple dredges simultaneously, on each side of the ship. further increases this impact by disturbing the seabed. The amount of discardsDiscards:
Unwanted by-catch, which is thrown back because there is no quota, the market price is too low, or the fish is below the legal minimum landing size. Discards can be alive or dead. is expected to be high. It is unknown which species are caught as bycatchBycatch:
Species caught next to species targeted for fishery. By-catches can consist of non-commercial species and species that are too small, and can be kept (this part is sometimes called by-product) or thrown back into the sea (discards). .
An overal managementManagement:
The regulations surrounding fisheries and aquaculture that ensure that production is carried out within legal frameworks and that sustainability can be assured. plan is in place, but implementation is lacking.