RAZOR CLAM SEASON CLOSED

[Clamman]

Clatsop Beaches, Seaside to Columbia River (including inside the Columbia), are closed due to an increase in the biotoxin Domoic Acid.

Oregon Department of Agriculture should have a news release out today. Samples tested pretty hot compared to the last sample three days earlier.


More info when I have it.

Clam

[Jennie@ifish]

YIKES! We were just preparing clam chowder!
Bill put his back out getting them too!
He got his limit in 18 minutes. I didn't go.

Should we eat them???

Jen

[Pete]

I called ODFW Newport and they confirm that Clatsop County clamming is closed for high domoic acid levels.

So far, beaches south of Clatsop are OK and still open.

[Norm]

Thanks, but isn't it pretty early in the year for high toxin levels?

[fishitis]

Bummer. We dug last weekend (both days) and got easy limits of very nice clams. Were hoping to go again soon.
Now I wonder how safe these might be to eat? We fried up a batch last night with no ill effects.
Let me know if you have any insights about the quick change in toxin levels and how that might apply to clams dug Sunday.
Let's hope they drop as quickly.

[Chromaflage]

I'm curious about something here. Not that I'm trying to advocate anything, but as I understand, both razor clams and dungeness crab are susceptible to concentrating domoic acid in edible tissue. With crabs, it's mostly in the "butter" or visceral tissues in the gut area. Does the Department of Health test crabs as well as clams? Also, do they test other types of clams? Is the closure just for razors or all clams? Just curious.

CrF

[Lazersharp]

Dang, I was really wanting to give Razors a try. Ive done other types of claming but never Razors. Does any one know a good place around tillamook to give razors a try when they do reopen?
any info would be really apriciated.
thanks

Good luck and tight lines

-Tristan

[Rank Amateur]

Just got back from digging this morning. I will eat them, bet you it doesn't hurt me a bit!! Now, what's my name?????

Actually, the reason they are closing the beaches is because the commercials have pretty much dug out the big clams and they can't make any money, so they don't want us guys to dig and eat all the little clams. Gotta let them grow to commercial size!!

The poor gal at the Bell Bouy said that she had 600 pounds of clams on hold waiting for the news. She said that if the levels were too high that she could not even sell them for crab bait. What a waste. Do they not test over the weekends?

[Pete]

The Dept. of Ag. web site says they were unable to test due to high water ... I guess they do the best they can, given the resources.

[Clamman]

Jennie,

The samples were from Sunday so the levels are probably much higher now. I would not eat them.

Razor clams are filter feeders and domoic acid is produced by plankton. Domoic Acid accumulates in razors and crabs become contaminated by eating the razors. It stays in the gut cavity. Other clams are tested for toxins but domoic acid does not last long in other clams. Bay clams are pretty safe from domoic acid since fresh water and tides tend to keep it out.

Any other questions go ahead and ask me.

Clam

[pearl]

Oh Mannnn!

Wife and I were going to dig in the morning. In fact she just bought her shell fish license 15 minutes ago since she forgot in January.

Oh well. Better go springer fishing!

[Seefood Man]

Hummm Jen, With the past problems you had, I would pass. I use the theory.....When in doubt, throw it out. :depressed:

[fergy61]

As long as the clams are cleaned very well then there shouldn't be any danger of getting ill.

[Chrome Bumper]

Jen, you better sit this one out , you don't need more trouble. I got some clams Monday, easy limit after a couple of years without. I am gonna eat'em , if you don't see me in the obits your people should be fine . I would almost rather die than waste wildlife. I did have a bout with that demonic acid from clams once, not a good thing, ouch.

[freespool]

Quote:

Actually, the reason they are closing the beaches is because the commercials have pretty much dug out the big clams and they can't make any money, so they don't want us guys to dig and eat all the little clams. Gotta let them grow to commercial size!!


And where prey tell did you come with this bit of information?


salmon hugger

[Clamman]

I would have to agree. Where did you get that info? I doubt ODFW would do this for razors. They currently don't have any such policy set in place.

Also it does not matter if you clean the clams the toxin is in the meat.


Clam

[Jennie@ifish]

I'd like to agree, but I can't. All of Bill's clams are HUGE! He only got two that were small in the least.

As often as we'd like to cry foul, I don't think it's usually so. At least it's much nicer to live thinking positive. I'm positive of that much. :smile:

Bill is going to eat them tonight. I'm having Springer from last year. :smile: Cooked in mayo and sour cream. YUM.

Jen

[fergy61]

I'm going to recheck that one.
I'm never wrong. I thought I was once but I was mistaken.

[Mr_sturgeon]

where did you get that info, the latest date I can see is 4/22/05 and it says clamming is still open

[Jennie@ifish]

It says above that Pete called the Newport office. Bill also called and they said that the levels were tested a couple days ago.

Jen

[CMallardDrake]

"...Actually, the reason they are closing the beaches is because the commercials have pretty much dug out the big clams and they can't make any money, so they don't want us guys to dig and eat all the little clams. Gotta let them grow to commercial size!!..."

I'm almost certain that if they closed the season in Idaho for just anyone to harvest potatoes...there would be blame put on the commercial grower.

I've lived here on the coast all my life and I've never heard this excuse before on why the clams are left in place.

[Chrome Bumper]

None for you Jennie, not even a little taste! I am negotiating with the cheif chef at home now regarding this.

[Small Fry]

My wife and a couple of her girl freinds dug limits this morning. Do we eat them or not? Or should I freeze them whole and use them for crab bait? We dug some Sunday and ate them and I'm ok. :whazzup: Help what to do?


Anyone else ever use them as crab bait? I hear there some of the best bait around.

[Heatmiser]

Bummer! My family and I clammed on Long Beach (Oysterville approach) on Saturday. It was windy, and the clams were not showing well. I heard that Sunday was much better. Unfortunately, we could not stay for the Sunday tides.

I was looking forward to buying an Oregon liscense for clamming due to the difference in claming season dates between Oregon and Washington. It will have to wait for now.

Washington was going to open up clamming on May 7-8. Since Oregon beaches are seeing higher levels of domoic acid, does this increase the probabillity that Washington beaches will also see an increase? I mean were only talking 20-30 miles between Oregon and Washington beaches . . .

[CMallardDrake]

"... I would almost rather die than waste wildlife. I did have a bout with that demonic acid from clams once, not a good thing, ouch. ..."

I posted this yesterday when it was brought up here that rumor was circulating that the razors could be getting close to being tainted and the season could close.



[/quote]

Thanks freespool for helping me out here.

I had that word "domoic" right there at the tip of my tongue but I couldn't spit it out. All I could think of was "demonic" and from what I've been told (rumor has it) if you eat razors with more than 20 ppm within...you act much like someone possessed...

There does seem to be a trend here of a rise in the bad stuff. I too say, "let's get'm while the gett'ns good and eat'n of them is too!" I hear they are everywhere between the Seaside cove and the CR south jetty...

... icon here stomping to make clams show

[/quote]


:smile:................. :smile:................. :smile:................. :smile:................. :smile:................. :smile:

[h20dog]

Hey Smallfry I don't know if you should eat them or not but as far as crab bait goes they work really well. I have a piece of pvc tube that is capped permanently at one end and has a screw on top at the other with 1/8th inch holes drilled all over it. I started with a batch of freezer burned clams I got from my bro (Macfish) and knocked em dead.

[Rubber Robin]

I just called the hotline number from the Oregon Dept. of Agriculture. They said that the clams tested were from Sunday. The season is closed on the Clatsop County beaches as of Sunday 4-24 at 5AM. They are recommending that if any clams were harvested on Saturday or Sunday, you should throw them out.

The number is 1 503 986-4720.

The Oregon Dept. of Agriculture has nothing on their website about a closure. There has been no publicity!
I have a buddy that just got his limit this morning and I called him to relay the news. He is bummed!

Where is the warning to the public????????????? What are we buying with our shellfish license?

[freespool]

Quote:

My wife and a couple of her girl freinds dug limits this morning. Do we eat them or not? Or should I freeze them whole and use them for crab bait? We dug some Sunday and ate them and I'm ok. Help what to do?


I just checked the ODA website, and it says it's still open. Also just cleaned two limits from this morning. Where's the panko?


salmon hugger

[Rubber Robin]

freespool:

The hotline number recommends that you throw them away.
Go online and read about the symptoms of domoic acid toxicity. It isn't pleasant.

I just contacted the Oregonian and Channel 2 news to ask why we haven't heard any news about this.

[SlackBite]

Just a word of caution regarding domoic acid poisoning from eating potentially bad clams. All it takes is one hot clam to cause serious and/or permanent problems. To me, a few clams are not worth the potential risk.

From a heath information web page:

”Symptoms of domoic acid poisoning can occur within 30 minutes to 24 hours after eating toxic seafood. In mild cases, symptoms of domoic poisoning may include vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, headache and dizziness. These symptoms commonly disappear within several days. In severe cases, the individual may experience excessive bronchial secretions, difficulty in breathing, confusion, disorientation, unstable blood pressure and irregular heartbeat, seizures, permanent loss of short-term memory, coma and even death."

[Jennie@ifish]

Gosh, that doesn't sound like fun.
I think salmon sounds really good... Even almost a year old salmon, frozen. :smile:

Jen

[Clamman]

Okay guys and gals,

Here is a little more information on Domoic acid so as to clear up some of the confusion.

It is a naturally occuring toxin from a phytoplankton (plant not animal) called a diatom. When these diatoms get the right nutritional and environmental conditions they can have rapid population growths generally known as "blooms". These blooms of these certain diatoms can cause the formation of domoic acid. The reason the diatoms create the domoic acid is still being researched, though scientists believe it might be a way for them to convert limited supplies of nitogen from ammonia or urea.

Anyway, when these diatoms produce domoic acid and wind conditions move it towards shore, plankton feeders such as razor clams ingest the diatoms and through the digestive process accumulate the acid. The acid accumulates in all parts of the clam; the neck, the foot and the body. Remember other filter feeding animals can also ingest the diatom and can become contaminated with the domoic acid. This happens to sardines and herring off the coast of California and creates pinniped stranding in the hundreds.

Razor clams unlike other clams are a fatty clam and don't purge the toxin very quickly at all. Oregon has had closures of a couple months to years depending upon the peak of the toxin level. How fast the clam purges the toxin depends upon how fast it uses up food reserves. So the smaller faster growing clams will most likely get rid of the toxin fast than the older clams that are not growing as rapid. The older clams will rid themselves of toxin during spawning when the lose body mass, but spawning only occurs once a year.

Domoic acid will bio-accumulate in warm-blooded animals. So in other words the more you eat the higher the dose in your system. For example; eating clams with twice the allowed toxin level for consecutive days is the same as eating clams with levels 50% higher than the original toxin level.

There are studies that show why the safety levels were determined to be 20ppm and if people want information about that they should contact Matt Hunter, the shellfish biologist with ODFW. His number is 503-325-2462. This guy knows alot about domoic acid and the diatoms that produce it.

The advisory says to destroy the clams. It is sound advice and should be followed. Granted most of you are adults and can do as you wish. Please don't feed to the young, sick or elderly since they are the most likely to have symptoms.

Any questions either PM me or call Matt Hunter.


Clam

[SlackBite]

Yep, salmon it is or us too. I had clams all ready to go for dinner at my Dad's house tonight we got Monday morning, but not now. Luckily, my Dad caught a Springer this morning so we are making a substitution.

[Chromaflage]

So, what about saxitoxin, which causes Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning, rather than Amnesic Shellfish Poisoning? I know that this is the "red tide" toxin, but do they test for it at the same time they test for the domoic acid?

Leave it to me to muddy the waters.....again.

CrF

[Clamman]

PSP and ASP are detected by different types of analysis. A gas chromatography (sp) detects ASP aka Domoic Acid. An the use of mice injected with samples determines the PSP. The canary in the mine-shaft is the mussels. For some reason they take in the toxin first and also purge it first but they let Health agencies know when to expect problems. I am not sure if PSP and ASP are sampled at the same time every test period. Though I do know ASP (Domoic Acid) is tested for each time. I would contact the Oregon Department of Agriculture for the full details in the testing.

Hope that helps.


Clam

[mtpar]

TTT

Darn :depressed:

We got up at O dark thirty and with my nine year old son headed out to meet four other buds to Clam Saturday AM.
We clammed at Gearhardt & had our 6 limits in 30 minutes. The best clamming I have ever seen. My boys first trip, and he was really doing great. He loves to eat Razors. When I told him about toxins in clams and we could not eat them due to high levels he was also very bummed.
He perked right up when I told him they made great crab bait.
Hard to let them go, but after reading the symptoms of poisoning I got to do it. Went to the Freezer and Wrote "Crab Bait" on the two limits of Clams.

Called all of the other clammers and informed them too.

One had already consumed 1/2 his catch
So far so good?

I also called Oregon Dept. of Agriculture and they were very incistent that I "Throw Them Out"

I just can't take any chances with my kids

MTPAR

[bigwiz]

i just ate 15 yesterday oops

[SlackBite]

Hey Bigwiz,

I also ate a bunch from Saturday and Sunday. With the toxin levels rising so fast I figure I've had enough clams until the levels come back down. It will be interesting to see the next sample results.

Take Care.

SlackBite

[Elkhombre]

We dug four limits yesterday (Tuesday) and I promptly went home cleaned them and ate them. Dinner was about 9 hours ago and all is well so far. Haven't read the particulars of the illness. Guess we better throw the others out. I bet they would make great sturgeon bait. Clam size was ok but it wouldn't bother me to give the clams a little time to bulk up. I think I finally feel a newbie story coming on after being registered for quite some time. I hope it isn't going to be a post about the symptoms of clam poisoning.

[Elkhombre]

Just looked it up on KGW's website. Beaches closed to clamming from Astoria to Netarts Bay. KGW's website under "health".

[Jennie@ifish]

Also good "lake" bait for trout, perch, panfish, etc.

[Chrome Bumper]

:depressed: I got mine Monday, Had a few in chowder Tuesday. The rest are all cleaned up setting in the frig. Boy do they look good all creamy and white. :depressed: :depressed: :depressed: Hopefully the state can give us an update on the edibility of them.

[Jennie@ifish]

Bill is just going nuts trying not to eat his.
They are sitting in the fridge, tempting him.
I'm no way going to eat a bite of them! I am so sick of sick!
Jen

[FrogPond]

I, along with 5 other friends, dug our limits of Razors Sunday morning on Sunset Beach. Four of us ate close to four limits Sunday night. We are all doing fine.

I wonder if this problem is locatable to one area of a beach? Could it be that some of the Clams have little or no toxin present while others are really hot?

I would like to know more about the sampling methods.

[Troutinator]

Only thing I can add is anecdotal. A couple buddies and I collected a bucket of mussels while fishing in the Seal Rock area(10 years ago now). We had checked and razors were open for harvest, figured the mussels should be ok too. We enjoyed a bucket of wine soaked mussels that evening. At 3am I became violently ill. By 6am I couldn't move from exhaustion. I was taken to the hospital in LC and diagnosed with paralactic seafood poisoning, domoic acid. They got me pretty well fixed up by about 5pm sunday. Went home to Corvallis, had a relapse of the pukes and ended up back in Good Sam in Corvallis due to dehydration.

The point? Don't fool around with this. Three of us ate the same bucket of mussels. Only one of us, lucky me, got sick. The other guys got kind of queasy but we later figured it was power of suggestion... they saw me dying and figured they were doomed too! We also found out that they closed razors two days later.

All in all, it took me over a week to feel mostly normal. At one point, and I'm not even sure which day, I was seeing stuff that would have made a hard core acid freak proud.

Don't fool with it. It just isn't worth it.