First Clam Dig of March 2013 Approved

OLYMPIA – State fishery managers have approved an evening razor clam dig that will run March 7-11 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 five consecutive evenings at Twin Harbors, the beach with the most clams available for harvest. Long Beach will be open for digging March 8-10, while Copalis and Mocrocks will be open March 9-10.

No digging will be allowed at any beach before noon.

Ayres said an extra evening of digging – March 8 – has been added to the original schedule at Long Beach, because diggers harvested fewer clams than expected there last month.

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In planning a trip to the beach, all diggers should be aware that Daylight Saving Time starts March 10, Ayres said.

“If you forget to set your watch ahead, you could miss an hour of prime digging,” he said, noting that the best digging occurs an hour or two before low tide.

Evening low tides for the upcoming dig are as follows:

• · March 7, Thursday, 3:06 p.m., +0.3 ft., Twin Harbors
• · March 8, Friday, 4:01 p.m., 0.0 ft., Twin Harbors, Long Beach
• · March 9, Saturday, 4:50 p.m., -0.2 ft., Twin Harbors, Long Beach, Copalis and Mocrocks
• · March 10, Sunday, 6:33 p.m., -0.2 ft., Twin Harbors, Long Beach, Copalis and Mocrocks
• · March 11, Monday, 7:12 p.m., 0.0, Twin Harbors

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 the location of Washington’s razor clam beaches, as well as current and proposed digs, is available at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/shellfish/razorclams/current.html.