As Geoducks' value soars, so does poaching SEATTLE, April 22 (UPI) -- Seattle's geoduck clam industry is enjoying the rising value of the unusual looking bivalves, but officials worry about a similar rise in poaching. Where the long-necked subterranean clam won $7 or $8 a pound a few years ago, it's now bringing in twice as much at the dock, with a single clam worth as much as $60, The Seattle Times reported. China's demand for geoduck has soared in recent years, where the crisp and briny-sweet delicacy is a favorite among the elite, baked, fried, sauteed or served as sushi. "Everything about the geoduck is driven by China," said Mark Schaffel, who farms geoducks for Olympia's Northwest Shellfish Co. They're really into it, they've got the money and there is no substitute. The Times says legal divers who yank the clams up from their buried homes in the sea floor can now earn more in a day than most state residents earn in a month. Their newfound prosperity, however, has a dark side. Underwater surveys show about 800,000 geoducks disappeared in the last year, in many areas where harvesting is not legally permitted. State wildlife law enforcement responds to many tips about smugglers who make off with untold amounts of clams under cover of night. Mike Cenci, deputy enforcement chief for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, told the Times there is an undoubted increase in poaching. "Either we've gotten lucky and noticed more illegal activity or the frequency of skullduggery has increased dramatically," he said. There's no doubt that the increased value is attracting a criminal element.