'Stuck in the Mud' tells history of Maine clamming

[207 Interview](/section/207-interview) 'Stuck in the Mud' tells history of Maine clamming Peter Hope is a retired history teacher and clammer. His new book takes a look at the history of Maine clamming.   Author: Don Carrigan BRISTOL, Maine — Clams.  Steamed, fried, cooked in a chowder or made into some other dish, the little shellfish are perennial favorites in Maine. They’re also still an important business for Maine, valued in 2024 at more than $15,000,000 to those who harvest them. In fact, after the all-powerful lobster, clams are still one of Maine’s most valuable commercial fisheries. However, the work of clamming—difficult, dirty, often fairly solitary—likely doesn’t get celebrated in public the way lobster fishing does. Pete Hope is looking to shed some light on the world of Maine clamming and bring some new recognition for the work Maine’s roughly 1,200 licensed harvesters do. He’s written what may be one of the very first books on the subject: “Stuck in the Mud," described as a history of clamming and clammers. “As a clamdigger a... --- *Note: This is a summarized excerpt. Click the source link above to read the full story.*