Razor clams

[hhack]

Anyone think it’s bs why they are shutting down clamming. Do they publish the toxicity results or is there any independent testing done. Seems weird tribes can still clam and sell clams but the same clams are too toxic for everyone else unless we buy them.

[Sitka_Blacktail]

Anyone think it’s bs why they are shutting down clamming. Do they publish the toxicity results or is there any independent testing done. Seems weird tribes can still clam and sell clams but the same clams are too toxic for everyone else unless we buy them.

It's not just clams shut down, crabbing on the coast got shut down too. I heard they were tested at 40 parts per million and 20 parts per million is the cutoff.

[blackpowderhunter]

also it wasnt that all beaches tested high, just a few.
they shut down all of them in order to avoid everyone concentrating to one or two open areas is what i heard.

[ballpark]

https://fortress.wa.gov/doh/eh/portal/odw/si/BiotoxinBulletin.aspx

[Stein]

also it wasnt that all beaches tested high, just a few.
they shut down all of them in order to avoid everyone concentrating to one or two open areas is what i heard.

I think it started like that but then the toxin levels spiked pretty much everywhere so it would have been shut either way.  I don't think it would be a great idea to open only one beach.

[Stein]

Here are recent reports, 5/6 beaches are over the limit, 4/6 really over the limit.

https://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/basics/domoic-acid/levels

[trophyhunt]

Glad you asked hhack, I almost posted the same question.  I've never seen so many and so long of closures from this toxin.  I want my damn clams!! 

[NRA4LIFE]

Dang, we're 4 for 4 of shut out clam trips going back to the spring.  Our next hope is the 12th start.  The tribes might have got 'em all by then.

[bobcat]

We went in September and it was the best digging ever. One thing I know is it's going to be awesome digging again due to all the closures since the last time we went. Looking forward to the next open season.

[Igottanewknee]

Well, on the up side, the clams will be bigger.

[Stein]

Yeah, WDFW has been saying the survival rate has been awesome, tons of clams everywhere, now if we can just eat them without getting paralyzed and dying it would be a huge bonus.  We were all lined up to go, had to cancel and lose a bit of money in the process, but it will happen sooner or later.

[Sitka_Blacktail]

Here are recent reports, 5/6 beaches are over the limit, 4/6 really over the limit.

https://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/basics/domoic-acid/levels

The 6th, Willapa Spits, inside Willapa Bay, they don't seem to be reporting. The last report from there was on July 13, well before this incident. But I heard when this started, the worst of the bloom was inside of Willapa Bay. Not sure why they aren't reporting it, but it is basically a commercial beach that is dug for crab bait. So maybe they are putting all their effort into the ocean beaches where the sport digging takes place.

[NRA4LIFE]

Well, it's official, all of December is gone:

https://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/shellfishing-regulations/razor-clams#current

5 for 5 now for us since March.

[Stein]

Yeah, that's bad news for sure.  The only bright spot, if you call it that, is that it is for legit reasons and I don't have to get all riled up about them using COVID as a reason to shut it down.

Then again, Copalis, Mocrocks and Kalaloch are headed down dramatically and not too far above the limit, so who knows. 

[2MANY]

You believe what they say?

HHhhhmmmmm.