collapse

Advertisement


Author Topic: Razor clams  (Read 34695 times)

Offline Encore 280

  • Non-Hunting Topics
  • Trade Count: (+11)
  • Sourdough
  • *****
  • Join Date: Oct 2011
  • Posts: 1947
  • Location: Poulsbo
  • Groups: Encore 280
Re: Razor clams
« Reply #90 on: February 25, 2021, 08:49:47 AM »
Recreational crabbing opened in Grays Harbor area but not Willapa   :bash: and it's only a couple miles down the road. Whiskey Tango Foxtrot!

Offline GWP

  • Forum Sponsor
  • Trade Count: (+23)
  • Sourdough
  • *****
  • Join Date: Dec 2010
  • Posts: 1487
  • Location: Big Sandy-By Westport
Re: Razor clams
« Reply #91 on: February 25, 2021, 09:57:09 AM »
I fully agree on the transparency issue.  WDFW is notorious in my mind for not explaining virtually anything which isn't good policy in my opinion.  It wouldn't take a bunch of effort to type up a sentence or two explaining things every now and again.

“Biotoxin levels are too high to open”
I think that pretty well explains it. They test often. At one time I pulled up a graph that showed the testing and levels. Probably still there somewhere. The new interactive map was pretty interesting as it showed the levels were less in some of the bay areas just around the corner from the jetty. Protected I guess? I would have thought the reverse? Anyway, good to see the levels ‘might’ be coming down some.
Cuterebra are NOT cute!

Offline Limhangerslayer

  • Non-Hunting Topics
  • Trade Count: (+3)
  • Sourdough
  • *****
  • Join Date: Jul 2011
  • Posts: 1540
  • Location: Dryside
Re: Razor clams
« Reply #92 on: February 25, 2021, 10:18:18 AM »
But the streamers and oysters are open in Willapa?  Maybe cause of all the commercial in there??

Offline Jake Dogfish

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Frontiersman
  • *****
  • Join Date: May 2017
  • Posts: 3313
  • Location: Des Moines
Re: Razor clams
« Reply #93 on: February 25, 2021, 02:42:03 PM »
https://fortress.wa.gov/doh/biotoxin/biotoxin.html
Willapa is closed to all clams and Crab.
Environmentalist Fundamentalist

Offline GWP

  • Forum Sponsor
  • Trade Count: (+23)
  • Sourdough
  • *****
  • Join Date: Dec 2010
  • Posts: 1487
  • Location: Big Sandy-By Westport
Re: Razor clams
« Reply #94 on: February 26, 2021, 04:52:50 PM »
Aaaaand it looks like crabbing in Grays Harbor area closed again.
Cuterebra are NOT cute!

Offline dilleytech

  • Non-Hunting Topics
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Sourdough
  • *****
  • Join Date: Jul 2014
  • Posts: 1462
  • Location: Columbia gorge washington
Re: Razor clams
« Reply #95 on: February 27, 2021, 09:39:09 AM »
Aaaaand it looks like crabbing in Grays Harbor area closed again.

Unless your crabbing in west port boat basin where the water is totally safe to crab in and not toxic at all.. Im I missing something? Where’s the logic?

Offline fishngamereaper

  • Trade Count: (+6)
  • Old Salt
  • ******
  • Join Date: Oct 2011
  • Posts: 7989
  • Location: kitsap
Re: Razor clams
« Reply #96 on: February 27, 2021, 09:52:42 AM »
Aaaaand it looks like crabbing in Grays Harbor area closed again.

Unless your crabbing in west port boat basin where the water is totally safe to crab in and not toxic at all.. Im I missing something? Where’s the logic?

You mean all the boat's dumping sewer and spilling diesel in the water... :chuckle:.  Totally healthy.


Offline GWP

  • Forum Sponsor
  • Trade Count: (+23)
  • Sourdough
  • *****
  • Join Date: Dec 2010
  • Posts: 1487
  • Location: Big Sandy-By Westport
Re: Razor clams
« Reply #97 on: February 27, 2021, 03:39:01 PM »
Aaaaand it looks like crabbing in Grays Harbor area closed again.

Unless your crabbing in west port boat basin where the water is totally safe to crab in and not toxic at all.. Im I missing something? Where’s the logic?

Thought I just read it had closed again. I will go look to see if once again I misread it. Won't be the first time or the last time I am afraid!
Cuterebra are NOT cute!

Offline NRA4LIFE

  • Site Sponsor
  • Past Sponsor
  • Trade Count: (+10)
  • Old Salt
  • *****
  • Join Date: Nov 2007
  • Posts: 6057
  • Location: Maple Valley
  • Groups: NRA
Re: Razor clams
« Reply #98 on: March 01, 2021, 05:37:34 PM »
New acid levels posted.  All beaches still high.  This ain't looking good folks.
Look man, some times you just gotta roll the dice

Offline snarkybull

  • Non-Hunting Topics
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Hunter
  • ***
  • Join Date: Jul 2012
  • Posts: 229
  • Location: coast
Re: Razor clams
« Reply #99 on: March 01, 2021, 10:50:31 PM »
I have seen a lot of confusion and some misinformation here.  Allow me to clarify as well as I can.  I am not full of excrement.  And I don't work for WDFW.  But I do believe in science.

First and foremost: Domoic Acid is real.  Look up amnesic shellfish poisoning and then decide for yourself whether that sounds like something you want to feed your family.  The damage to the hippocampi (the parts of your brain that forms new memories) is permanent.  I shudder at the thought of ingestion while pregnant.  Having said that, the limit of 20 parts per million is markedly precautionary.

Pseudo-nitzschia spp. (the diatom that produces domoic acid) has been long gone since fall.  For some reason the razor clams cling on to the toxin like their life depended on it.  The concentration obviously goes down over long periods of time.  The levels will jump around a fair bit because the clams are getting tested every couple weeks or so, and they are only digging a handful of razor clams each time.  The levels are going to bounce or wobble some but the trend is visible over time.  I personally think we have a good shot of getting out there in May when the depuration typically accelerates.

All the other types of clams and mussels will pick up the toxin and then purge it within days.  The oysters actively discriminate against eating these particular diatoms so hardly ever get any of the toxin in their systems.  The dungies having toxin in their bellies because they are eating razor clams.  The crab farther off-shore generally have less toxin due to diet, but the darn things move around a lot, so that is not a hard and fast rule.  The crabs in and around Willapa Bay have been eating the razors in the Willapa spits.  The crab in Westport boat basin are eating other things, but again they move, so I hardly understand leaving that open.  It does not compute to me.

The crabs are being tested for toxin concentration in their intestines, which is also known as crab butter.  I truly do not know why people would eat that, but some do and therefore ruin it for the rest of us.  But the toxin will hardly get into the meat of the crabs in appreciable quantities unless the toxin levels in the viscera are through the freaking roof.  Therefore whole crab can get banned from sales, but cleaned crab are ok.  Crab feeding behaviors and movement patterns are largely unknown and unpredictable, so it is entirely possible for the toxin concentrations to go up even as razor clam concentrations go down and the toxin-producing diatoms have been gone for months.  Maybe they are eating more razors now.  Nobody knows.

Last year, the Grays Harbor County and Pacific County's health departments did ban people from the beaches, especially because of razor clam crowds, and we cannot predict how they will respond this year.
« Last Edit: March 02, 2021, 07:13:01 AM by snarkybull »
How long til elk season?!??

Offline GWP

  • Forum Sponsor
  • Trade Count: (+23)
  • Sourdough
  • *****
  • Join Date: Dec 2010
  • Posts: 1487
  • Location: Big Sandy-By Westport
Re: Razor clams
« Reply #100 on: March 01, 2021, 11:39:05 PM »
While I am not a biologist, I talked to three different ones, and you pretty much nailed it. They check the levels often, but have to go with the 'safety for all' to the lowest common denominator.
Sort of like the 'Gorilla Glue In The Hair' deal. Can't wait to see what the fallout will be from that!
Like a meme I saw recently:
If you think your Generation is so smart, Why did car Owner Manuals from years ago show you how to adjust the valves. The new ones don't, and warn you about not drinking the fluid from the battery?
 :dunno: :chuckle: :chuckle: :chuckle:
Cuterebra are NOT cute!

Offline pnwbestlife

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Tracker
  • **
  • Join Date: Feb 2020
  • Posts: 31
  • Location: Puyallup
    • facebook.com/pnwbestlife
Re: Razor clams
« Reply #101 on: March 03, 2021, 07:29:33 AM »
With the new acid levels updated, I've written a new blog post about it here: https://pnwbestlife.com/washington-razor-clam-update-march-2021/

In summary, Mocrocks and Copalis beaches are the closest to safe levels, but still have a lot of work to do. My hope is that they relax the one beach vs all beaches restriction at some point with the COVID cases dropping and we get an April opp on Mocrocks and Copalis...other than that...may not happen until the fall.

-Kyle

Offline Stein

  • Non-Hunting Topics
  • Trade Count: (+11)
  • Explorer
  • ******
  • Join Date: Sep 2013
  • Posts: 12521
  • Location: Arlington
Re: Razor clams
« Reply #102 on: March 03, 2021, 07:37:08 AM »
I think WDFW has already stated it's all or nothing.  Of course they may change their mind, but at least recently that was their position.

Offline 2MANY

  • Political & Covid-19 Topics
  • Trade Count: (+3)
  • Frontiersman
  • *****
  • Join Date: Jun 2013
  • Posts: 4686
  • Location: Yup
Re: Razor clams
« Reply #103 on: March 03, 2021, 08:03:00 AM »
Bet the WDFW breakroom is open and there is nothing but toxin in there.

Doughnuts....... Gotta get DOUGHNUTS!!!

Offline hhack

  • Political & Covid-19 Topics
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Tracker
  • **
  • Join Date: Nov 2013
  • Posts: 76
  • Location: Seattle
Re: Razor clams
« Reply #104 on: March 15, 2021, 11:19:53 AM »
What a load of crap

 


* Advertisement

* Recent Topics

CVA optima V2 LR tapped hole for front sight by trophyhunt
[Today at 06:05:35 AM]


Let’s see your best Washington buck by HntnFsh
[Today at 05:33:38 AM]


Bearpaw Season - Spring 2024 by actionshooter
[Yesterday at 09:43:51 PM]


Walked a cougar down by MADMAX
[Yesterday at 08:31:53 PM]


Which 12” boat trailer tires? by timberhunter
[Yesterday at 08:22:18 PM]


Lowest power 22 round? by JakeLand
[Yesterday at 08:06:13 PM]


1x scopes vs open sights by JakeLand
[Yesterday at 07:29:35 PM]


Long Beach Clamming Tides by Encore 280
[Yesterday at 05:16:00 PM]


WTS Suppressors I Can Get by dreadi
[Yesterday at 03:30:33 PM]


SB 5444 signed by Inslee on 03/26 Takes Effect on 06/06/24 by Longfield1
[Yesterday at 03:27:51 PM]


Straight on by kentrek
[Yesterday at 03:04:53 PM]

SimplePortal 2.3.7 © 2008-2024, SimplePortal