Soft-shell clams (Mya arenaria), also known as steamer clams, gapers and squirt clams, are filter feeders, residing in the substrate of bays and estuaries throughout Nova Scotia. Their shells are white or dark blue in colour, depending on the type of substrate they inhabit. White-shelled clams are associated with coarse sand with less organic material, while darker shells are found in fine silt with higher organic material. This anomaly does not affect the quality or taste of the clams. Individual clams can grow to a size of 100 mm., the average, approximately 65 - 70 mm. The minimum legal size limit in Nova Scotia is 38 mm.

Clams are harvested by hand using a clam "hack" or hoe. Fishermen follow the receding tide and fish up to four hours before the tide returns. Typically, clams are sold live in the shell or shucked and processed as meats. Goldwater Seafoods carries both varieties.

The traditional method of cooking clams in the coastal communities of Canada and the U.S. is steaming and dipping the meat in drawn butter. Hence, the name steamers. They are also popular deep fried and are often the main ingredient in many chowders.