NT giant clams Chicago-bound

A pilot project breeding a protected species of giant fluted clam could be a new indigenous economic venture.

A pilot project breeding a protected species of clam could be a new indigenous economic venture. (AAP)

The first shipment of a protected species of giant clam will be exported from the Northern Territory to the United States in the hopes of kick-starting a local indigenous business.

Fifty giant fluted clams grown through a research project in Darwin will be shipped to Chicago next week and sold to aquarium suppliers.

They are known for their colour - a brilliant blue - and can grow up to 40 centimetres, fetching about $10 per centimetre.

Primary Industry and Fisheries Minister Willem Westra van Holthe says it has enormous potential for indigenous economic development.

"Each clam, when they get to the right size, are about $200 each, so for many of these communities involved, it will be just like picking up $200 notes from the ocean floor every time they go to harvest giant clams," he told reporters at Darwin's Aquaculture Centre on Thursday.

There were already about 1000 clams being grown in the wild off Goulburn Island and Groote Eylandt, which should be ready for harvesting in about a year, said Glenn Schipp, director of fisheries and aquaculture at the Department of Primary Industry and Fisheries.

It is hoped that soon the participating communities will be able to oversee the spawning of the clams from local parents before growing them in the wild.

Mr Schipp said there were other uses for the clams beyond aquarium display.

"Those that don't match the quality of colour can be consumed locally and shells can be used as local artefacts and crafts, so nothing will be wasted," he said.

He hoped that regiment clams would make each community about $100,000 per year.

"The aquarium industry is a little bit like the fashion industry," Mr Schipp said.

"At the moment, the blue clam is in demand. It remains to be seen whether that demand is sustained."

But he said there was potential for the clams, with their abalone-like flavour, to be sold internationally for consumption as well.

"Consumption won't be out of fashion and the beauty of these animals is they don't need extra food," Mr Schipp said.

"You put them out on the reefs and they grow without any other interference, so (they are) low input, high return."