{"id":461181,"date":"2026-09-12T02:26:34","date_gmt":"2026-09-12T02:26:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/461181\/"},"modified":"2026-09-12T02:26:34","modified_gmt":"2026-09-12T02:26:34","slug":"razor-clam-season-set-to-start-oct-9","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/461181\/","title":{"rendered":"Razor clam season set to start Oct. 9"},"content":{"rendered":"

OLYMPIA \u2014 Forty tentative days of razor clam digs at four coastal beaches from Oct. 9 through Dec. 27 have been announced by shellfish managers with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe razor clam season is right around the corner, and we\u2019re excited to announce another fall schedule of harvest dates,\u201d said Bryce Blumenthal, a WDFW coastal shellfish biologist. \u201cSummer population assessments showed significant decreases on Copalis and Mocrocks, which will result in considerably less digging opportunity this season. Thankfully, Long Beach and Twin Harbors populations remain strong and should allow for similar amounts of harvest to previous years.\u201d<\/p>\n

All beach openings are dependent on final approval of marine toxin testing, which usually occurs about a week or less before the start of each digging series. Before a beach can open for digging, the Washington State Department of Health requires two test samples seven to 10 days apart and domoic acid levels under the guideline level. <\/p>\n

Domoic acid, a natural toxin that certain marine algae produce, can be harmful or fatal if consumed in sufficient quantities. For more information about domoic acid, as well as current levels at ocean beaches, refer to the WDFW\u2019s domoic acid webpage: https:\/\/wdfw.wa.gov\/fishing\/basics\/domoic-acid\/levels<\/a>. As of the preseason announcement, the most recent posted results were from May.<\/p>\n

El Ni\u00f1o events like the one now beginning sometimes coincide with domoic acid outbreaks.<\/p>\n

On all open beaches \u2014 Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis, and Mocrocks \u2014 the daily limit is 15 clams per person. Each digger\u2019s clams must be kept in a separate container, and all diggers must keep the first 15 clams they dig, regardless of size or condition.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s important that diggers keep the clams they dig to prevent wastage (includes discarding small clams, clam with broken shells or reburying unwanted clams),\u201d Blumenthal said. \u201cIt\u2019s not unusual to encounter some small clams, especially this early in the season.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kalaloch beach off the northern Olympic Peninsula coast won\u2019t be open due to continuing issues with depressed populations of harvestable razor clams.<\/p>\n

Most successful digging occurs between one and two hours before the listed time of low tide. Below are the tentative dates, along with low tides and beaches.<\/p>\n

Tentative dates during late afternoon\/evening (noon to midnight only) low tides:<\/p>\n

Oct. 9, Friday; 6:23 p.m.; 0.1 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks
Oct. 10, Saturday; 7:02 p.m.; -0.3 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks
Oct. 11, Sunday, 7:39 p.m.; -0.6 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis
Oct. 12, Monday, 8:15 p.m.; -0.6 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis
Oct. 13, Tuesday, 8:52 p.m.; -0.4 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks
Oct. 14, Wednesday, 9:32 p.m.; -0.1 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors <\/p>\n

Oct. 24, Saturday, 5:58 p.m.; 0.1 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis
Oct. 25, Sunday, 6:37 p.m.; -0.7 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks
Oct. 26, Monday, 7:18 p.m.; -1.2 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks
Oct. 27, Tuesday, 8:01 p.m.; -1.5 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis
Oct. 28, Wednesday, 8:47 p.m.; -1.5 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis
Oct. 29, Thursday, 9:38 p.m.; -1.2 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks
Oct. 30, Friday, 10:34 p.m.; -0.7 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors <\/p>\n

Nov. 7, Saturday, 5:06 p.m.; -0.2 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks
Nov. 8, Sunday, 5:44 p.m.; -0.6 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis
Nov. 9, Monday, 6:19 p.m.; -0.7 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis
Nov. 10, Tuesday, 6:54 p.m.; -0.7 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks
Nov. 11, Wednesday, 7:29 p.m.; -0.5 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks (Veterans Day)
Nov. 12, Thursday, 8:07 p.m.; -0.1 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors <\/p>\n

Nov. 22, Sunday, 4:33 p.m.; -0.4 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors
Nov. 23, Monday, 5:18 p.m.; -1.2 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors
Nov. 24, Tuesday, 6:02 p.m.; -1.7 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks
Nov. 25, Wednesday, 6:48 p.m.; -1.9 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis
Nov. 26, Thursday, 7:35 p.m.; -1.8 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis (Thanksgiving Day)
Nov. 27, Friday, 8:25 p.m.; -1.4 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks
Nov. 28, Saturday, 9:18 p.m.; -0.8 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks <\/p>\n

Dec. 5, Saturday, 4:07 p.m.; 0.3 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors
Dec. 6, Sunday, 4:49 p.m.; -0.2 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors
Dec. 7, Monday, 5:27 p.m.; -0.4 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks
Dec. 8, Tuesday, 6:03 p.m.; -0.5 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks
Dec. 9, Wednesday, 6:37 p.m.; -0.5 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis
Dec. 10, Thursday, 7:12 p.m.; -0.4 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis
Dec. 11, Friday, 7:48 p.m.; -0.2 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks <\/p>\n

Dec. 21, Monday, 4:13 p.m.; -0.6 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors
Dec. 22, Tuesday, 5:02 p.m.; -1.3 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks
Dec. 23, Wednesday, 5:50 p.m.; -1.8 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis
Dec. 24, Thursday, 6:36 p.m.; -1.9 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors
Dec. 25, Friday, 7:23 p.m.; -1.8 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors (Christmas Day)
Dec. 26, Saturday, 8:09 p.m.; -1.4 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks
Dec. 27, Sunday, 8:55 p.m.; -0.7 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis<\/p>\n

Additional information<\/p>\n

All diggers age 16 or older must have a valid 2026-2027 license to harvest razor clams on any beach.\u202fLicenses are available on\u202fWDFW\u2019s website, through the\u202fMyWDFW mobile app, or from\u202fstatewide license dealers\u202fand WDFW\u202fregional offices. WDFW recommends diggers buy their license before visiting coastal beach communities. <\/p>\n

When driving on the beach, respect the 25-mph speed limit and enter only at designated access points. Stay on the hard-packed sand near the high tide line to avoid crushing clam beds, buried female Dungeness crab and snowy plover nests.<\/p>\n

The 2026-2027 Razor Clam Management Plan will be available soon on the WDFW\u2019s website. WDFW welcomes public input on proposed razor clam schedules and considers this feedback when finalizing each season\u2019s digs. Public comments may be emailed to: razorclams@dfw.wa.gov. <\/p>\n

Fishery managers note that as a result of legislatively directed budget reductions, the Department will have less staff capacity to survey razor clams and support marine toxin analysis, which could result in delayed season opening and reduced opening days. <\/p>\n

In WDFW\u2019s blog, the agency observes, \u201cThese cuts aren\u2019t just bad for fish and wildlife, they also have a ripple effect on our economy, particularly for Washington\u2019s rural towns that depend on spending associated with outdoor recreation. WDFW supports more than $9.2 billion in recreational spending each year and nearly 60,000 jobs statewide. We also know that nearly 4.5 million Washingtonians hunt, fish, or watch wildlife. That\u2019s a lot of outdoor trips that often include visitor spending in rural communities, from lodging, gas, to that after-hike cheeseburger.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"OLYMPIA \u2014 Forty tentative days of razor clam digs at four coastal beaches from Oct. 9 through Dec.…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":461182,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[33],"tags":[131,133,132],"class_list":["post-461181","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-long-beach","tag-long-beach","tag-long-beach-headlines","tag-long-beach-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/461181","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=461181"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/461181\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/461182"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=461181"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=461181"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=461181"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}