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The purpose of this study was to examine the health status and gametogenetic activity in Mya arenaria clams collected at various sites in the St. Lawrence Estuary (Quebec, Canada) and in the Odense Fjord (Denmark). Clam soft tissues were analyzed for metals/metalloids and organotin compounds to confirm their exposure to these contaminants. Their health status was assessed by a test battery of biomarkers designed to measure the early biological effects of contaminants, which include expression of defence mechanisms such as xenobiotic conjugation (glutathione S-transferase), expression of stress proteins (i.e., heme oxygenase and metallothioneins), changes in gametogenetic activity, and individual morphometric characteristics. Clam tissues were also examined for the presence of oxidative damage to lipids, formation of DNA strand breaks, and alterations in heme metabolism. The results showed that …