Razor clamming reopens from Yachats north, but other harvests still closed

Razor clamming has reopened from Yachats to the Washington border and commercial oyster harvest reopens in Netarts and Tillamook bays, the Oregon Department of Agriculture and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife announced Friday after two consecutive tests showed biotoxin levels below the closure limit.

Bay clam and mussel harvesting remains closed coastwide due to high levels of the marine biotoxin paralytic shellfish poisoning. Razor clam harvesting remains closed from Yachats to the California border due to high levels of PSP and domoic acid.

The two agencies closed the razor clam harvest June 6 from Yachats to Washington border as a precautionary measure. While testing showed this area under the closure threshold for razor clams, the agencies agreed to close harvest out of an abundance of caution since PSP levels had elevated very rapidly and were very high in other shellfish species. With Friday’s test results, that area reopened.

Current harvest closures and openings are:

• All bay clamming remains closed coastwide for high levels of PSP. This includes all clam species in the bays.
• All mussel harvesting remains closed coastwide for elevated levels of PSP.
• Razor clamming is open from the Washington border to Yachats and closed from Yachats to the California border for high levels of PSP and domoic acid.
• Crab harvesting remains open along the entire Oregon coast.

Commercial fisheries closures and openings are:

• Tillamook Bay and Netarts: oyster fishery is open;
• Umpqua River/Winchester Bay: oyster fishery is closed.
• Coastwide: bay clam fishery is closed.

People should always call the state’s shellfish safety hotline (1-800-448-2474) before heading out to harvest shellfish or visit the ODA recreational shellfish biotoxin closures webpage.

ODA will continue testing for shellfish toxins at least twice a month as tides and weather permit. Reopening an area closed for biotoxins requires two consecutive tests with results below the closure limit.

PSP is a natural marine biotoxin produced by some species of microscopic algae. Oregon has seen historic high levels of PSP since late May, leading to multiple closures in several shellfish species since May 23.