Initial reply is that the razor clams for crab bait come from AK or tribal/non-tribal commercial diggers......

Ah.. I thought they were talking about Kalaloch clams.

Domoic acid information:

http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/shelfish/razorclm/domacid.htm

Hmmm, I no little about this except what I've read in the paper, WDFW website, etc., but I kind of challenge the supposition that the tribes can harvest and sell clams from a beach thats been closed due to domoic acid concentrations. Dig and eat for themselves, I could buy, but not sell to brokers, restaurants, etc. Maybe you saw them harvesting the week before the beach closed or something. I can't imagine the state allowing sales outside of the tribe when there is a health risk, treaty or no treaty.

The toxin is from a naturally occurring algae, so when the concentration is high in the water, they accumulate in the tissues to toxic levels. When algae populations decline in the water, the toxin declines in the tissues. That's why a beach can be open one week and close the next.

You may challenge that WDFW and the State Dept of Health are being a bit too conservative with their screening levels, but this really seems to be a public health issue, not a resource allocation issue. And from the States perspective, they're just protecting themselves from a fatty of a lawsuit, a likely result if somebody gets sick from a clam dug from a beach that the State monitors.

So this algae isn't found just a handful of miles south of Kalaloch? With a good south wind you could spit on the next beach from Kalaloch. What has kept it from spreading south? I have no problem with them looking out for us health wise, but I can't go along with this situation. To much of a coincidence that it happens this way every year.

Am I the only one that notices the pattern?? No night digs. Only every other spring tides. Come on do you really believe the acid levels are high all winter while the heavy surf is pounding the beach clensing it of impurities. Then like clock work come spring time when algae should be more prominent it goes away. Doesn't add up to this cat.

Kris

Well, i am new to this but i would like to add a couple of thoughts. Parker says that he would let anyone go out and dig if it were up to him, I think that would be a great idea with a disclaimer posted on the beach, the problem with that is that big brother loses a bit of control, even though a posting should get rid of any lawsuits. Three Time Spawner has a great comment that if no one can give you answers, there aren't any; this sheepish attitude is where it all starts. I just wonder how long you have been a State Employee. Also, I think glowball is trying to get some answers.

Up until approx. 15 years ago, Domoic Acid was not a concern. 15 years ago the state still policed Kalaloch. At this time, Kalaloch Beach is the only beach policed by "the feds" ,or if you like, federal park rangers. If an interested person would like to research, he could find that the closings at Kalaloch are very suspicious, as far as their timing and the fact that the other beaches are never closed when Kalaloch is open (except for make up digs which overcrowd the beach at Kalaloch). Other than the "feds" wanting to protect the Indians' dig, there are also the questions of allocating overtime monies, and quite frankly, whether the rangers really want to work the tides. Also, somewhat unrelated, three-time Spawner might recall a law that was passed a few years back that give the Indians the right to dig on all beaches, public or private. Mr. Ayers has written to me in the past and has stated that domoic acid has nothing to do with population, but somehow it only became a concern 15 years ago. I got this answer when I asked the question, "Why do we have this problem in such a low-populated area?" Look at a map and ask yourselves how anything could stay stationary on a beach located where Kalaloch is located. Approx. 5 to 7 years ago I was returning from salmon fishing at La Push. On the way in, we passed a Boston Whaler with a grandfather and three grandkids (all upper teens or lower twenties). The next day we heard that this boat went down just outside the mouth of the river. All of them died. Two were found on the outside of James Island, one was found inside the mouth of the Jaun De Fuca Straight. The last one was found 15 miles south, and approx. 5 miles offshore. Look at a map; figure out where these people were found, and tell me how algea can consistently hold its position on a three-mile beach. Just a closing though for Three time Spawner: In this day and age, anyone who blindly believes our government would have to have STUPID tattooed somewhere on themselves.

thanks

The feedback is continuing....the crabbers acquire razor clam bait from the various canneries who purchase the clams from AK, Quinault Enterprises, and other tribal/non-tribal commercial diggers.

WDFW prohibitions on digging because of domoic acid levels apply to anyone digging clams whether they are for bait or consumption. They have to be certified that the domoic acid level is below the threshold limits. It is believed that most of the razor clam bait comes from AK and that local commercial diggers don't have a major share of the market. It appears that crab, too, are tested for domoic acid levels.

The state has "...trouble getting commercial interest at times, particularly on the spits at Willapa." I have to wonder when/how they harvest and why there isn't more recreational digging if the commercials don't want to.

I've got some more leads to follow-up. Will pass along what I get.