Submitted by Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
OLYMPIA – State fishery managers have approved an evening razor clam dig that will run Feb. 7-12 at Twin Harbors and some of those days at three other ocean beaches.
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) approved the evening dig after marine toxin tests showed the clams on those beaches are safe to eat.
Dan Ayres, WDFW coastal shellfish manager, said the dig will extend for six consecutive evenings at Twin Harbors, the beach with the most clams available for harvest. Long Beach will also be open for digging Feb. 8-10; Copalis and Mocrocks will be open Feb. 8-9.
No digging will be allowed at any beach before noon.
Ayres said both clam diggers and razor clams made a strong showing at the last dig during the last weekend in January.
“I don’t know whether people are shaking off cabin fever or what, but thousands of diggers turned out for the last opening,” Ayres said. “Most of them went home with their 15-clam limit.”
The schedule for the upcoming dig and evening low tides is:
- Feb. 7, Thursday, 4:22 p.m., -0.5 ft., Twin Harbors
- Feb. 8, Friday, 5:11 p.m., -0.9 ft., Twin Harbors, Long Beach, Copalis, Mocrocks
- Feb. 9, Saturday, 5:56 p.m., -1.0 ft., Twin Harbors, Long Beach, Copalis, Mocrocks
- Feb. 10, Sunday, 6:37 p.m., -0.9 ft., Twin Harbors, Long Beach
- Feb. 11, Monday, 7:17 p.m., -0.5 ft., Twin Harbors
- Feb. 12, Tuesday, 7:54 p.m., 0.0 ft., Twin Harbors
Ayres noted that the best digging occurs one to two hours prior to low tide.
By law, clam diggers are limited to 15 razor clams per day, and are required to keep the first 15 clams they dig. Each digger’s clams must be kept in a separate container.
All diggers age 15 or older must have an applicable 2012-13 fishing license to harvest razor clams on any beach. Licenses, ranging from a three-day razor clam license to an annual combination fishing license, are available on WDFW’s website at https://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov and from license vendors around the state.
Information about current and proposed digs, as well as the location of Washington’s razor clam beaches, is available athttp://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/shellfish/razorclams/current.html.
