Interesting article, thanks for the link.


c/22

Funny I was just remarking to DrifterWA and rivrguy the other day about the almost complete lack of shrimp on the clam beaches immediately adjacent to Grays Harbor. On the way downbeach to the clam beds, one would typically walk thru a 15-20 yard band of shrimp that ran the entire length of the beach somewhere between high water and the first diggable razor clams. Bazillions of interconnected holes and tunnels dotted this zone.... often fooling eager tourists to start digging for clams a bit too high on the beach.

For some time now, this distinct intertidal zone on the beach has been DEVOID of shrimp. The proximity to oyster farms sprayed heavily with pesticide must surely be a factor.

Anyone else notice the lack of shrimp?

The other observation that puzzles me is the lack of parasitic (commensal) pea crabs normally found in the clams we dig. These were once a regular occurrence, but now extremely rare. (Much more prevalent is a parasitic fluke/leech that attaches inside the clams at the base of the siphon.) Out of hundreds of clams this year, I've seen ONE pea crab.

Coincidence?

lets save a non native species ( the oysters in Willapa Bay are from the east coast since they harvested the native ones out completely.) By eradicating a native species. Good Job!

iv'e noticed it for at least the last 10yrs.. where I dig clams there isn't many shrimp hole around.. takes awhile to get a couple doz shrimp. use to get three or so in one hole now u may get one every few holes u pump.. and I dig up north beaches.

Yes. Very much so.

I never put 2 and 2 together until now as far as the spraying is concerned…..and it is a concern.

Not so long ago, I'd just bring along my shrimp pump to the beach when surf perch fishing and dig my bait before fishing. Usually wouldn't take more than 10-15 min to get what I needed. Now, it takes long enough that I risk missing the good part of the tide. It's easier to just buy em' at the store.

Good article.

I just buy them too. Haven't dug for a long time as it always took away 4 hours of fishing. May try this summer when we go over to our friends cabin before I head to the river. Hopefully the oyster beds haven't been sprayed. I wonder why somebody couldn't make money digging them in Willapa Bay, and selling, instead of spraying. They're more expensive than other baits like prawns.

The price of sand shrimp is going up…..at least where I usually buy them. Maybe because the demand is exceeding the supply now???? Takes the supplier longer and more effort to get what used to take half the time.

Soon to be esa listed! What a cluster f@#k.

Up until 2 years ago I could dig my 10 dozen limit of sandshrimp at Roosevelt Beach. Last year at an area that had hundreds of shows had few. We would get less than a dozen adults. The last dig I tried a couple location and got zero. Puzzling how they just disappeared.

I think I pay about $3 per dozen. Any place you can buy them in bulk? We used to get a half gallon for $15 from Harry in Newport but now they just sell them by the dozen but will throw in a few extra and they are always lively. He used to have an aerated tank.

I blame the whale huggers. Didn't know greys pumped shrimp on the beaches.

Sand Shrimp Curtailment

http://cliffmass.blogspot.com/2015/04/oysters-and-pesticides-washington-state.html

I'm urging everyone I know to contact all the Washington oyster farmers and tell them their product is off the table until they can prove their product is not contaminated with these neurotoxins and stop poisoning our state waters.

Next year we will hear about Fishermen spraying beaches with pesticides engineered specifically to kill oysters in an effort to bring back the sandshromps. Ya know, those oysters are screwing up all the sandshromp habitat.

Amen!

……and after that, the fundraiser "Shromp Stomp 2015"

More press from earlier this week (Seattle Times)...

Link:
Disbelief Over State Plan to Spray Neurotoxin Into Oyster Beds

Save the Sandshrimp!

King 5 was running a story about the eradication in GH and WB this morning.

Concern over spraying oyster beds

Oyster owners got their hands slapped......NO MORE SPRAYING, should never have been allowed in 1st place.