Razor Clamming Closed On All But North Oregon Coast; Commercial Crabbing South Gets OK

Published 02/04/2018 at 12:55 PM PDT
By Oregon Coast Beach Connection staff

(Oregon Coast) – Domoic acid, a marine toxin, has reared its unpleasant head once again on the Oregon coast, causing the closure of recreational razor clamming to grow even bigger. As of now, the activity is closed for all of the southern coast and central coast.

Meanwhile, the last stretch of Oregon still not open to commercial crabbing now has a green light. The Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) have announced that recreational crabbing is now open from Cape Blanco, north of Port Orford, to the California border.

Levels of the biotoxins in crab from the area have found to be sufficiently decreased and now sit well below the alert range.

Commercial crabbers in this area of the south coast can set gear for a three-day presoak beginning Sunday, February 4 and start landing crab on Wednesday, February 7. For more details on the commercial opening schedule, see the ODFW site here.

ODA and ODFW said they will continue monitoring marine toxins in crab and shellfish to ensure that the concentrations remain below the alert level.

For more information on toxins, call ODA’s shellfish safety information hotline at (800) 448-2474 or visit the ODA shellfish closures web page at https://oda.direct/ShellfishClosures

While razor clamming on coastal beaches is prohibited because of toxins on almost all of the southern Oregon coast, even that segment is now closed: the 37 or so miles from the southern jetty of the Umpqua River near Reedsport to the south jetty of Coos Bay.

This now makes all of the southern coast off limits to personal clamming, as well as the entire central Oregon coast, including Newport and Lincoln City.

Everything from Cascade Head to the Columbia River is open, leaving only the upper third of the coastline for razor clams: the north coast areas around Pacific City, Oceanside, Tillamook Bay, Manzanita, Cannon Beach, Seaside and Warrenton.

ODA will continue testing shellfish around the region every other week, as tides permit them. To reopen an area, scientists need two consecutive tests with safe levels.

You can also call ODA’s shellfish safety information hotline at (800) 448-2474 or visit the ODA shellfish closures web page at https://oda.direct/ShellfishClosures

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