March digging dates coincide with Razor Clam Festival

Tentative razor clam schedule announced through April

February 15, 2018 1:30 am
March digging dates coincide with Razor Clam Festival

State shellfish managers have tentatively scheduled razor clam digs through April on four ocean beaches, including a clam dig at both North Beach areas on the March 17 date of the Razor Clam Festival & Seafood Extravaganza at the Ocean Shores Convention Center. .

Final approval of all scheduled openings at Copalis, Mocrocks, Long Beach and Twin Harbors beaches will depend on whether results of marine toxin tests show the clams are safe to eat.

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) typically announces whether a dig will go forward about a week before the opening, said Dan Ayres, coastal shellfish manager for the department.

Ayres noted the digs in March are on evening low tides while those in April are on morning low tides.

No digging is allowed before noon during evening digs and digging must be completed by noon during morning digs. However, WDFW is making exceptions to that rule on two dates in April, since low tides occur close to noon those days, Ayres said.

WDFW will consider additional dates later this spring if sufficient clams remain available to harvest, Ayres said.

The proposed razor clam digs, along with low tides and beaches, are listed below:

• March 2, Friday, 6:54 p.m.; -0.8 feet; Mocrocks

• March 3, Saturday, 7:34 p.m.; -0.3 feet; Mocrocks

• March 16, Friday, 7:03 p.m.; +0.2 feet; Copalis, Mocrocks

• March 17, Saturday, 7:36 p.m.; +0.2 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks

• April 19, Thursday, 9:46 a.m.; -0.9 feet; Mocrocks

• April 20, Friday, 10:37 a.m.; -0.7 feet; Mocrocks

• April 21, Saturday, 11:34 a.m.; -0.4 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks (digging hours will be extended to 1 p.m.)

• April 22, Sunday, 12:38 p.m.; -0.1 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks (digging hours will be extended to 2 p.m.)

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.

All diggers age 15 or older must have an applicable 2017-18 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.

For more information about recreational razor clamming, visit WDFW’s website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/shellfish/razorclams/.