Razor clamming open on Oregon's north coast

Razor clamming is open from the Washington state border to Tillamook Head on the north Oregon Coast after being closed due to high levels of biotoxins since September.

The decision to reopen by officials from the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Oregon Department of Agriculture comes after levels of the marine biotoxin domoic acid in shellfish samples has been below the limit for two consecutive weeks.

Razor clamming will remain closed from Tillamook Head south to the California border for the indefinite future due to continued elevated levels of domoic acid.

In the newly-opened area on the north coast, harvesters can take only their first 15 clams dug, regardless of the animals' condition. Diggers must bring a container for their clams and only be in possession of one limit. Clams in the area from the Washington state border to Tillamook Head typically measure in the 5 to 6-inch range.

Domoic acid is produced by algae and originates in the ocean ecosystem. The Oregon Department of Agriculture plans to continue to study shellfish populations for detectable amounts of the biotoxin. No timeline has been provided for reopening other areas.

For additional information, clam diggers can call the Oregon Department of Agriculture's Food Safety Program at 503-986-4720 or the shellfish biotoxin hotline at 800-448-2474.

For updates, go to the Oregon Department of Agriculture's Recreational Shellfish Biotoxin Closures webpage.

Charles Gearing is an outdoors journalism intern for the Statesman Journal. He can be reached at cgearing@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Razor clamming Oregon north coast Tillamook Head Washington