Stopping the gold clam: it's now or never

Stopping the spread of the freshwater gold clam (Corbicula fluminea) is of critical importance for preserving native biodiversity, protecting infrastructure, and maintaining the cultural and recreational value of Aotearoa-New Zealand's waters. 

Alongside establishing practical control methods, the research programme will determine the gold clam’s ecological, social, cultural and economic impacts in Aotearoa-New Zealand, and predict its spread for early detection and targeted intervention.

NIWA

Attribution, Non-Commercial, No Derivative Work

This MBIE-funded Endeavour research programme will: 

• Understand the impacts of the gold clam (ecological, economic, and cultural) 

• Predict dispersal and future establishment enabling the prioritisation of locations for monitoring and early intervention 

• Develop a suite of effective interventions (tools) to reduce the risk of transfer and to manage the gold clam at scale.

Key collaborators include NIWA, Ngaati Koroki Kahukura, Waikato Tainui, University of Waikato, and international experts.