The Washington Department of Health is gathering feedback on their Shellfish Safety Map. The data gathered from the survey will be used to make technical changes to the map and create resources and recommendations that will ultimately improve the map. The survey will be open through Nov. 27. To participate, click on the Washington Shellfish Safety Map Feedback Form.
Clam, mussel and oyster harvesting seasons vary by beach. For size and harvest limits, please see statewide shellfish and seaweed daily limits and shellfish size rules. For at-a-glance, site-specific harvest seasons, please see the two-page 2023 Puget Sound clam, mussel, and oyster season guide.
A list of the tides in the Puget Sound region that favor good harvest results can be found in the one-page 2023 best clam and oyster harvest tides chart.
Harvesting shellfish legally and safely
WDFW works closely with DOH to ensure safe, legal harvest of shellfish on state beaches.
In order to safely and legally harvest shellfish for human consumption, both the DOH health status and the WDFW season for a beach must be OPEN.
| DOH status | WDFW season | Harvest status |
|---|---|---|
| Open | Open | Safe and legal |
| Open | Closed | Illegal |
| Closed | Open | Not safe |
| Closed | Closed | Not safe and illegal |
Current water quality information, beach locations, harvest seasons, and health advisories can be found by searching for the beach name in the search tool on this page, or by visiting the Department of Health's (DOH) shellfish safety interactive map. Identical information is found on WDFW beach pages and the shellfish safety map, but it may be easier to search geographic areas of interest using the map tool. The shellfish safety map also provides links to the detailed WDFW page for each beach.
Learn more and find shellfish gathering tips, including gear lists, in this 5-part blog series:
- Steamer clams (Manila and native littleneck)
- Butter clams and Horse clams
- Cockles and Eastern softshell clams
- Geoduck
- Oysters, including tips on how to remove them from their shells (shuck)
For help identifying clam, mussel and oyster (bivalve) species, download the shellfish identification chart. More detailed information about clam and oyster species may be found by visiting the Species in Washington section of this website.
Shellfish Treaty Rights FAQ
Visit the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission’s frequently asked questions page for information regarding tribal rights to harvest naturally occurring shellfish on public and private tidelands in the Puget Sound and Hood Canal regions.
Find a beach
To find a beach to harvest clams, mussels, and oysters, enter all or part of a beach name and/or select a county from the dropdown menu below.