Rhode Island boy digs up big 2 1/2-pound mollusk

An 11-year-dilapidated Rhode Island boy clamming with his grandfather found a huge quahog that is even handed one of the largest ever harvested in suppose waters.

Cooper Monaco, of Wakefield, found the huge mollusk Monday within the Weekapaug part of Westerly, and donated it to the University of Rhode Island’s Marine Science Study Facility in Narragansett, the university mentioned in an announcement Thursday.

The clam is 5.75 inches (14.5 centimeters) right via and weighs nearly 2 1/2 pounds (1.3 kilograms). The suppose Division of Environmental Administration doesn’t preserve quahog recordsdata, but an everyday quahog grows to about 4 inches (10 centimeters) right via, the university mentioned.

“I became as soon as down on my hands and knees within the water shopping for clams, and I touched this mountainous rock ingredient,” Cooper mentioned within the assertion. “I repeatedly pull out rocks and throw them to the facet and look underneath them. After which I felt the brink of it and I understanding, ‘holy moly, this shall be a clam.’ So I pulled it out. It became as soon as unbelievable.”

He knew it became as soon as unsually huge, so suggested his mother no longer to cook dinner it.

Ed Baker, the supervisor of the URI Marine Science Study Facility, plans to set the quahog on indicate.

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