Sampling locations Three study stations were selected in three locations from three Egyptian cities (in the map below) that represent the main natural fisheries of Tapes clams namely; (1) El-Max (next to El-Max Lighthouse or El-Fanar) in Alexandria; (2) Timsah (in Timsah Lake off El-Ta’awen Beach) in Ismailia and (3) Ezbet El-Borg (in a clam farm) in Damietta (Fig. 1A–C, respectively).