[Born to be Wild]

I contacted the Food Safety Division today in Salem (503)986-4720 regarding razor clams. I was told by Mary that razor clamming would remain closed at least throughout this month and could possibly open in May. She said the levels were approximately 60 the last time they checked and needed to drop below 20 to be open and safe. When I asked why it would remain closed at least till May, she told me that is because they require two consecutive positive test in a row before opening the razor clam fishery. Mary said the next test will be next week during low tides. They only test at very low tides and when they can get the people and money needed to do the test she said. At times like this I could appreciate a razor tag like they have in Washington so maybe we could get the testing done and maybe go harvest some of those tasty specimens. Looking at the tide book it appears they won’t be testing again (2ond test) until the week of May 1 through May 7.

Talked to brad Schoenborn at Bob’s in Longview today and he said their levels up there are ranging from 19-21. The URL I will include (levels) confirms this.

The first two sites are Washington websites that have excellent info and pic’s of razor clam shows, cleaning them, etc. The third site is one that Fast Water posted a while back showing Washington Domoic acid levels.

Last year I took many pic’s of razors necking in the surf and sent them to WDFW’s webmaster and he said they would include them on their website. Don’t think it has been done yet so I will post them here along with their (WDFW) excellent razor shows.

http://www.wa.gov/wdfw/fish/shelfish/razorclm/razor6.htm

http://westportwa.com/activities/razorclams/cleaning.html

http://www.wa.gov/wdfw/fish/shelfish/razorclm/levels/levels.htm

People always asked me last year what they look like when they are necking in the surf. A few folks called it flowering. They look like this:

Rich and Val Allyn former owners of Depoe Bay Tradewinds. Talked them into buying clam guns and showed them how and where to get razors locally.

Captain Corie is a charter boat captain. This is the first time she went razor clamming. She is a quick learner.

All that seafood talk on the other thread got me in the mood. Halibut & razors. Before:

And after:

 

[rebell]

Dan, your driving me crazy. First the seafood poll, now this. I need some razors NOW!!!!!

Those pictures are just making me want to get some more razors ASAP!! :whazzup:

 

[Born to be Wild]

Well, hopefully it won't be long! I'm going to be bummed if next week the Oregon test show that we are in the "safe zone" and won't be able to get them at the beginning of May waiting further testing (second test).

If it is closed do to Domoic acid levels and you are convinced it is safe, is it illegal to go harvest them anyway?

Rusty, if you didn't live so far away, I'd give you some vaccumed sealed razors. Maybe on the way back from Longview, if I ever get up there.

I did forget to mention that clamming is open in the bays.

Dan

 

[KingFisher85]

I hope it opens :bowdown:

 

[Fishplay]

That wasn't a true representation of an after pic Dan. If it were the plate would have been empty. :grin:

 

[Sore Back]

Even though it is not what we want to hear, good report Dan. Apperciate the names, numbers and site info. The pictures are killers. We are planning on Netarts bay next Thursday through Monday. As we don't have any 02 clams left, we hope to bag up some Cockle and Gaper's. Great fritter and chowder builders.

Sore Back

 

[Clamman]

FYI,

What the ODA representative did not tell you was that 60 ppm is the average of the tests, some are as high as 89 ppm. I would not be optimistic of a May opener, maybe in Washington, but I doubt Oregon.

Domoic Acid is not a joke, it is a neurotoxin that can virtually eliminate memory. Sea Otters that injest contaminated shellfish go into seizures and drown, seals and sea lions become disoriented, forget how to feed and beach themselves on roads and other areas. This has happened in CA and been shown on TV news. These closures are necessary for public safety.

It is illegal to harvest clams when the season is closed due to toxins check out page 91 in the Oregon regulations numbers 4 and 5.

Patients is needed for this closure to end, and it could be worse. In the early 90's it was closed for almost 3 years. When it does open there are still plenty of clams to be dug.


Clam

 

[jokester]

Oh yeah, I almost forgot about clamming. Can't wait to go get some more this year! Darnet, I'm hungry now :grin:

 

[MPT]

That reminds me, I have some still in the freezer! Thank God for the vacuum packer. They should still be ok even though they are from last spring. I think I'll thaw them out, dip'em in egg and milk and fry'em up with Panko flour.

 

[Born to be Wild]

Clamman,

How’d ya come up with all that interesting info with a name like that? :wink:

Do you have any Idea when Oregon performed their last test? I didn’t think to ask Mary that. Is that out of the ordinary for Washington to be averaging approx. 20 and Oregon to be that much higher?

I kinda figured it was illegal to harvest them if the domoic acid levels were too high. Maybe I will just go down to the beach and see if I can get a better quality picture of them necking and it would be real interesting to see what kind of shows we have. I expect there to be plenty clams again this year as there were so many when the season closed last fall.

In the early 90's it was closed for almost 3 years.

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helvetica">Wow! Don’t say that! I would have to buy a Washington razor tag if that happened.

“Domoic Acid is not a joke, it is a neurotoxin that can virtually eliminate memory”

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helvetica">Couldn't affect me much! :grin:

 

[ibeanfishin]

Washington beaches may open clamming by mid-April, if the domoic acid levels drop below 20ppm. Samples on Tue. were just below another text April 14 will be done and if they stay below then it will be a matter of days.

 

[Clamman]

DepoeBay Dan,

Sorry to get back to you so late, had to succumb to springer fever for a couple of days.

I get my info due to an occupational hazard.

Samples were taken the last full week of March and will be taken next week. I am not optimistic of a May opener.

I too do not want to see a 3 year closure, but the reality is, it can happen.

It has always been a sadistic and morose joke that the coastal age of senility is lower than the rest of the state because of the lack of domoic testing prior to the late 1980's :shocked:

Love your pics, email me if you want more information.

Clam

 

[Trick]

I'm going digging tommorow and I'm going to spread razors up and down the Columbia so that all the seals and sea lions become disoriented, forget how to feed and beach themselves on roads and other areas.

Then we can run up and down 30 squashing them under our trucks and suv's......ooooh to dream. :laugh:

 

[Slugranch]

Had a big female sea lion out chasing cars on Sandridge Road last winter. They figure she swam up a drain ditch out of Willapa bay and was so high on razors that she was trying to car jack someone so she could go to disneyland :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

 

[Born to be Wild]

I heard she stopped at the Newport Aquarium on the way south and cleaned out all the fish.

Too bad Keiko wasn't there still! :grin:

 

[Born to be Wild]

Well unfortunately, it looks like the clamman was right. I called the food safety division in Salem approx. two weeks ago and the I got was a little depressing.

The test they did showed Waldport at 53ppm and Clatsop Beaches at 46ppm. I was told they probably wouldn't test this series of minus tides because of the lack of funds to test all the time.

So that means they probably wouldn't test again untill mid May and it takes two consecutive positive test before they will open the season for harvest.

So I can't see it opening untill at least mid June. Times like this I wished we had a razor tag like Washington and had more funds to test, monitor and test for domoic acid levels.

Clamman, what causes these domoic acid levels?

 

[Fast Water]

In the begining of April there was a chance for a Longbeach opener in May. The 4-29-2003 reading
29 and it does not look promising. :depressed:

The toxin is produced by marine diatoms, which are members of the genus Pseudo-nitzschia. Both shellfish and fish can accumulate this toxin without apparent ill effects. However, in humans the toxin crosses into the brain and interferes with nerve signal transmission

Click here for the full article.

[ 05-04-2003, 12:43 AM: Message edited by: Fast Water ]

 

[redfish89]

Great information..... I like tricks idea... :dance:

 

[Clamman]

DBD,

Pretty much what Fast Water posted. Just to note, WDFW did a plankton sample off the Longbeaches and noticed an elevated level of the diatom that causes Domoic acid. They speculate that might be the reason why their samples are elevating some.

There are 3 proposed shellfish bills in Salem right now. If this is something that the Oregon public wants they had better get on the horn and start talking to their legislators. Any funding would help to pay for toxin testing, enforcement and harvest and resource management.

Clam

[ 05-04-2003, 01:44 PM: Message edited by: Clamman ]