Since tests have shown clams are safe to eat, Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis and Mocrocks beaches will be open for a razor clam dig Thursday and Friday.
Digging is best an hour or two before the low tide. On Thursday, low tide (-0.9 feet) will be at 4:40 p.m. On Friday, the low tide of -1.4 feet will occur at 5:29 p.m.
With the best digging taking place at dusk, families with young children should keep a close eye on them at the water’s edge. It’s also a good idea to place some sort of light in your vehicle to make it easier to find when you are done digging.
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 online at https://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov and from license vendors around the state.
Because many people will be on Christmas break, state Department of Fish and Wildlife officials expect a lot of people to be headed to the beach. They recommend purchasing your license before heading to the coast to avoid lines at license dealers there.
Under state law, 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.
Meanwhile, officials at Olympic National Park have decided to keep Kalaloch Beach closed until next spring.
Poor overall populations of razor clams, and recent downward trends in those populations, led park officials to cancel clamming this fall and winter.
Biologists from the Quinault Indian Nation, Hoh Indian Tribe, state Department of Fish and Wildlife and the park conduct stock assessments each summer.
This year’s results showed the Kalaloch razor clam population to contain approximately half the number of clams found last year, park spokeswoman Barb Maynes said in a news release. Clams sampled this year were also a quarter-inch smaller on average compared to last year.
The park is planning to open Kalaloch in early April but will continue to consult with tribal and state biologists over the winter.
JOIN THE DISCUSSION | Register here
We welcome comments. Please keep them civil, short and to the point. ALL CAPS, spam, obscene, profane, abusive and off topic comments will be deleted. Repeat offenders will be blocked. Thanks for taking part — and abiding by these simple rules. A thorough explanation of rules of conduct can be found in our Terms of Service. If you have any questions, including why your comment may not be showing immediately after you submit it, be sure to visit the commenting FAQ.