Northwest Fishing Magazine October 2025 Volume 5 Issue 2 - Flipbook - Page 36
All beach openings are
dependent on final
approval of marine toxin
testing, which usually
occurs about a week or
less prior to the start of
each digging series. The
Washington Department
of Health requires two test
samples taken seven to
10 days apart, and domoic
acid levels must fall under
the guideline level before
a beach opens for digging.
Domoic acid, a natural
toxin produced by certain
types of marine algae,
can be harmful or fatal if
consumed in sufficient
quantities.
Most successful digging
occurs between one and
two hours before the listed
time of low tide. No digging
is allowed before noon
during digs when low tide
occurs in the afternoon or
evening.
During the 2024-25 season,
a total of 109 digging
days at the four beaches
were offered from Oct. 3
through May 15. During that
time, 312,716 digger trips
were made with a total
harvest of 3,957,859 razor
clams harvested. At Long
Beach, 96,152 digger trips
saw 1,253,207 razor clams
harvested for an average
of 12.7 clams per person;
at Twin Harbors, it was
98,096 with 1,369,969 for
12.7; at Copalis, it was 66,628
with 804,903 for 11.9; and
at Mocrocks, it was 51,840
with 629,781 for 12.0.
On all open beaches –
Long Beach, Twin Harbors,
Mocrocks, and Copalis – the
daily limit is 15 clams per
person. Each digger’s clams
must be kept in a separate
container, and all diggers
must keep the first 15 clams
they dig, regardless of size
or condition.
“IT'S IMPORTANT THAT
DIGGERS KEEP THE CLAMS
THEY DIG TO PREVENT
WASTAGE (INCLUDES
DISCARDING SMALL CLAMS,
CLAMS WITH BROKEN SHELLS,
OR REBURYING UNWANTED
CLAMS),”
Blumenthal said. “IT'S NOT
UNUSUAL TO ENCOUNTER
SOME SMALL CLAMS,
ESPECIALLY THIS EARLY IN THE
SEASON.”
All diggers age 16 or older
must have an applicable
fishing license to harvest
razor clams on any beach.
Licenses can be purchased
from WDFW’s licensing
website and from hundreds
of license vendors
around the state. WDFW
recommends buying your
license before visiting
coastal beach communities.
WDFW reminds
beachgoers to avoid
disturbing nesting snowy
plovers – a small sandcolored shorebird – by
staying out of the dunes
