NOTICE: No Razor Clam Harvest At Olympic National Park (Kalaloch Beach) Until Spring 2012.
Beaches in Washington with razor clam fisheries include:
Long Beach, which extends from the Columbia River to Leadbetter Point.
Twin Harbors Beach, which extends from the mouth of Willapa Bay north to the south jetty at the mouth of Grays Harbor.
Copalis Beach, which extends from the Grays Harbor north jetty to the Copalis River, and includes the Copalis, Ocean Shores, Oyhut, Ocean City and Copalis areas.
Mocrocks Beach, which extends from the Copalis River to the southern boundary of the Quinault Reservation near the Moclips River, including Iron Springs, Roosevelt Beach, Pacific Beach and Moclips.
Kalaloch Beach, which extends from the South Beach Campground to Brown’s Point (just south of Beach Trail 3) in the Olympic National Park. |
January 13, 2012
Contact:
Dan Ayres (WDFW), 360-249-4628 ext. 209
OLYMPIA – The first razor clam dig of the new year will proceed on schedule Jan. 20-21 at four ocean beaches.
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) approved the evening dig at Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis and Mocrocks beaches after marine toxin tests showed that the clams on those beaches are safe to eat.
No digging will be allowed at any beach before noon.
“The clams we’ve been seeing are in very good condition, with more fat than usual,” said Dan Ayres, WDFW coastal shellfish manager. “That makes them especially good for frying.”
The evening low tide Friday, Jan. 20 is at 4:28 p.m. (-0.5 feet) and on Saturday, Jan. 21 at 5:17 p.m. (-0.8 feet).
Ayres recommends that diggers hit the beach one to two hours before evening low tide for best results.
Kalaloch Beach will remain closed until April, due to a low abundance of razor clams. The National Park Service, which manages that beach in cooperation with WDFW, has announced plans to open Kalaloch for a razor clam dig April 7-9.
At the other four beaches, diggers can take 15 razor clams per day, and are required to keep the first 15 they dig. Each digger's clams must be kept in a separate container.
All diggers age 15 or older must have an applicable 2011-12 fishing license to harvest razor clams on any beach. Licensing options range from a three-day razor clam license to an annual combination fishing license, which can be purchased on WDFW's website (https://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov) and from license vendors around the state.
Tentative dates for digs scheduled in February are:
- Feb.18, Saturday, 4:13 p.m. (0.0 feet) Long Beach, Twin Harbors and Mocrocks
- Feb.19, Sunday, 5 p.m. (-0.2 feet) Long Beach, Twin Harbors and Mocrocks
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