Regulations for clams seem almost idiot proof.
Me and a warden had a misinterpretation today about the reg.
No violations and tickets involved, but I would like to be clear of all rules.
Please let me know your interpretation of the clamming regulations of family limits before I get all nasty with my story.

Thanks

I don't know about Family limits, but I believe that all people who possess clams must actively participate in the harvest...

You tell me what it means? the actual digging? spotting a clam show? holding the light?

The way I dig is that My wife holds the lantern... I dig the clams.


I thought that there was an actuall number of clams a person had to actually dig in order to posess a limit, but I'll be damned if I could find it.

Lets hear the story...

I believe that if you are a native American you are allowed to dig 60 razors for every family member that is able to watch or help. Whether or not they need to be kept in seperate coolers I am not sure.

If you are not a native American every family member should have a license (free for the young and senior ones, as long as they have a social security number). Each member of your family should have their own bucket, net or baggy as to keep track of the limit of clams that they are personally responsible for.

As I recall the stongest and best digger of the family usually spends the majority of the dig on his (or her) hands and knees , at times wandering why he brought his kids and their FRIENDS along.

Piper,
We were doing exactly as you had mentioned and got a warning from the warden.
I was with my brother, his wife, 2 nieces(6 and 8) and 3 nephews (4, 5, and 6).
Only me and my brother were doing the actual digging.
The rest of the pack were scouting for doughnuts.
I brought 70 clams to the truck and was approached by 2 wardens.
They asked me how many clams I got.
I told them 70.
They said that it looks more like 100 and requested for a recount.
70 clams it was and they got a bit embarrassed.
Then they asked me for the people involved in these 70 clams.
I told them of our party and that they are still on the beach working on another 50.
They demanded that my party must be found to be questioned.
Well, when the wardens and our party got together, they told me that me and 3 more people must leave the clam beds and stop digging.
So I took 3 kids with me and stop the digging.
I am fine with the regulations and all, but how the heck are these kids suppose to get their limits?
This recreation is suppose to be a family venture.
That was too bad that they turned it soured for us and made us seem like criminals.
I don't know man.
These guys was on a power trip because we done this in the past and the other wardens didn't treat us this way.
Hell, they even gave us clams when we did not achieved our limits.

while we're on the clamming thing can someone tell me how a beach that is heavily populated can pass the toxins test, and one that is miles away from any major town (kalaloch) can't. I strongly believe it's because the lazy rangers don't want to patrol the beach. There is no way that long beach passes and kalalch doesn't. I'm a tad peaved about it and have emailed the game department. Probably just wasted my time but gotta try.

Kris

Glowball, there's been nothing to show that domoic acid has anything to do with population or pollution, its a natural marine toxin. A single sample from Kalaloch came up barely above the federal threshold for safe consumption. The state had to keep it closed. My bet is that the next tests will show those clams are fine and Kalaloch beaches will open in February. Ironhead, you were pushing it walking around with more than your limit. You should have kept each limit in a separate container and kept each person claiming that limit with the container. Not saying you did anything wrong, but those fish cops see so many jerks intentionally and blatantly overlimiting they tend to get suspicious. A frend of mine is a former state shellfish biologist for the coast, and you should hear the stories he tells about all the outrageous busts theye made on the razor clam beaches.

Exactly. Every other season its open. I see the pattern. I don't buy what they're selling. I don't trust them as far as I can throw em.

GB, February is next month.

Ironhead,

Forgive me if this is what you were doing, but I think that the most important thing to do in such a situation is to make sure that each person has their own bucket to keep their own limit in. I would analogize it to making sure that everyone in the boat or on the river has their own punchcard if you are all fishing together.

My feeling and experience is that this will remove the possibility of 99% of the problems you could have with the gamies.

Fish on...

Todd.

Iron Head you broke the rules and are lucky that you didn't have to open your wallet.

I am sorry do people think being a good steward of the resource is digging 100 clams and using 4,5,6 year olds as a screen to the limits?

He's not breaking any laws by doing so. I wouldn't hesitate to do the same thing, bring my kids and give their limit to my mom who is unable to go herself.

Sorry about your Harrassment IH...

I aggree with Todd... If each person was carrying their own limit you should not have been bothered... But if not, consider it a lesson learned "the easy way"!

I can't wait till my kid is old enough to pack a shovel... I have fond memories of digging clams with my dad and grandpa as a kid... and you know what, I ate more clams than both of them!

As long as none are wasted... Get'em will the Get'ins good

I would say that you are lucky if you only got a toung lashing.

I think you were breaking the law by having to many in the sack and digging for someone else.

I also think that most of us have done digging for some of our group if it was needed.

But, carry them out in your own container.

100,000 people digging and only a handfull enforcement officers to keep it under control has to gotta be tough on the population of the Clams if everybody came off the beach with 70 Clams in the sack. I am sure that many poachers have been on the Clam beds lately.

A quote from the WDFG website for you.

"Under WDFW rules, harvesters may take no more than 15 razor clams and must keep the first 15 taken, regardless of size or condition. Each digger=s limit must be kept in a separate container. Diggers must have a valid 2003-04 license to participate."

Boy, I wish I was out there digging a few for dinner, probably the best chow there is.

fp

Ironhead - I'm not an expert in the shellfish regs but as I read them, you were very lucky you didn't earn a ticket. In the past, lots of other folks have gotten tagged for doing exactly as you did. That is, putting all the clams in the same bucket. Each digger is supposed to have their own bucket/bag. The limit is 15. If you had 70, you were over the limit by 55 clams.

That's how I read it too, but it even goes beyond keeping no more than 15 clams in one container, you are not supposed to dig clams for someone else unless they have a disability - read bullet 4 under Razor Clams on Page 124 of the regs. Then read the license qualifications for persons with disabilities on Page 11. I don't think every 4 to 6 year old automatically qualifies You were damn lucky you didn't have to buy those clams at $100 a piece

Ironhead, you got lucky! I know you meant well and you'd never "poach" clams, but you have to see it from the wardens point of view. What is one guy doing with 70 clams? Where is the rest of the party?

I bring my girls(9&12) with me when I go and I make sure they carry their own clams. As for the digging, they like to try but I really do it.

I consider that actively participating. And I see no problem with 2&3 year olds taking limits either. Kudos to the parents out there with their kids!

Putting aside the clams in the same bucket for a second. (I wasn't there and I wont pass judgement) Lets just say lesson learned!

The question becomes can you dig clams for a kid or a senior that in incapable of digging there own? If you ask me this disabled digger card is BS... I know people with the card that are more than capable of digging their own clams and clams for everyone else on the beach as well.

If you read the letter of the law you may not harvest another persons limit? But it also says for someone to possess clams you must actively participate?

Does that mean that my wife has to dig her own clams while I hold the lantern... Is grandma not allowed to take home any clams cause she cant pull the clam tube all the way out without breaking her back?

You guys are absolutely right.
Thank you for your inputs.