J {n*8* V '-\ '/ MAY 2 2 1978 L$Bi{&[tY n4AY221e78 Marine Science Science Laborato l-aborarori Marine o S OregonState State University LTniversitv Oregon o SHELLFISH INVESTIOATION SHELLFISH INVESTIGATIOI'i o S INFORI,IATIOiI REPORT i{0. 78-3 IWFOR1ATIOJ REPORT UO. 78-3 o THE1977 RAZOR 1977RAZOR THE CLA1I FISHERY CLAiiFIS}IERY o fl o By. Terry Link Terry Link o C S o e p a rtm ent Fish and Oregon D Uepartmeht.of and tJildl lJildlife I fe "of Fish S o S Aprit 1978 April tgtB THE1977 1977RAZOR RAZOR FISHERY CLAI.I THE CLAN FISHERY Razor clarns fromClClatsop (Tillamook Razor ci ams from a ts op beaches beaches (Till Head Colunsia amook Head -.- Col umbi a River) River). vrere were sampled regularly from fromiarch ilarchthrough sampled regularly gre,f€st throughSegrtember periodicallythe: andperiodically September and rest of of the the year. Sport year. cornnprcialdiggers Sport and and commercial diggenswere intervievredto to obtain were interviewed obtain catch catch location location and number numberand andage agecomposition composition and of of clams clamsdug. dug. Random Random age-leng,thsamples age-length samples and and wastage sanrples werecollected. wastage saMples were collected. Data Data from from other other beaches beaches south south of'Tillamook ofifliamoOk Head Head were permitted. collectedas as time were collected timepermitted. SPORT FISHERY SPORt FISHERY A calculated calculated532,000 532'000clams A clamsincluding includingwastage wastagewere were harvested harvested sn on 5,1'"000 5i00O digger digger trips to to Clatsop Clatsopbeaches. trips beaches. This This represented represented 57%decrease decrease in digger aa 57% in diggertrips trips and and a 65% 65%decrease decreasein in number numberof of clams clamsdug a to dug compared compared to the the 1976 1976season. season. The Thetwo-mile two-mile Seasidebeach beachaccounted accounted for 56% 56%of Seaside for of the digger trips the digger trips and and,60% 60% of of the dug. the clams clams.dug. Table Table I1 lists lists the theharvest, harvest,catchratesand catch rates:andnumber number of diggers di,ggers by statistical of by statistical area. area. t{astage wasestimated estimatedat at 6.2% 6.2%or Wastage was or 33,000 33,000clams. clams. Clam clamrtrastage wasminimal wastage was ninimal dueto to reduced reduced diggingeffort due digging effort in in July. July. Agecomposition composition Age of of recreationaily recreationallydug dug clamsreflected reflected the year class the dominant dominant clams 1974 (age2) 1974year poor1975 class (age year class 2) and anOthe the poor 1975year class S ( T a b l e2) (Table 2). CO|{I4ERCIAL COI1NERCIAL FISHERY FISHERY ln 1977, t977,269'diggers pounds ('l+3,000 harvested In 269 diggers harvested 41,055 (143,000 clams). 41,055pounds clams). ,seaside Seaside beach beach accounted for 59% 59%of pounds of the the total accoUnted for landed. total pounds landed. The Theage agecomposition conpositisnof of commercially cormrcrcially dugclams clamsreflected reflected the dug 1974 year class the dominant dominant 1974year class.by by the the increase increase in in two two year year (Table3). old clams(Table old clams 3). Thecommercial comnercial;fishery took22% 22%of of the The fishery took the total total clams clams,dug. A sample dug. A sampleof of 161 16l coruprcial catches catchesleaving cOmmercial leaving the the beach beach indicated'that, indicated that 14.4% 14.4% (punds) (poUnds)were sold werenot not sold anpunting poundsor total ofof6,800: 6*800pounds amountng totoa atotal clams. or 23,600 231600,clams. S o -2-2RAZOR PRODUCTIOI{ CLA|4 RAZOR CLAI4 PRODUCTIOI SOUTH SOUTH OF OF TILLAIIOOI( T1LLA1OOK HEAD HEAD o Datawere obtainedfrom from13 beaches permitted. 13beaches southof Data were obtained south as TillamookHead of Tillamook Head astime tine permitted. Table lists the 4 lists pertinentcatch the beaches beaches productiveareas Table 4 and andpertinent catchdata. Themost data. The mostproductive areas wereCannon cannon Beach,Arch ArchCape, (t,rewport)r cape,Cove cove Beach, south were Beach, Beach, South Beach (iiewport), and Beach i,ryersCreek dildilyers creek o (Gold Beach). The (Gold beach). 1976year goodnumbers class was foundin in good The 197G year class was found on numbers mostbeaches. beaches. onmost HARVEST SU|.II.IARY HARVEST SUIIIARY o Thesport sport and and commercial commercial fisheries harvested The fisheries 675,000 clams harvested675,000 on Clatsop clamson ClatsopBeach Beach in 1977. in 1977. A drop in in recreational recreationaleffort phasesof in all A drop effort r,vas was noted noted in of the all phases tourist the tourist industry on on the the north north coast coast during during spring industry spring months; months; this may have have accounted accounted for this nray for o the drop in effort drop in the effort for for the fishery. the sport sport fishery. Random samples in late late 1976 Random samples in 1976and and1977 1977 goodset indicateda the 1976 1976year class on indicated a good set of of the year class on the the north north encl end of of Clatsop Clatsop Beach Beach in the and the Cannon and in Beach area. Cannon Beach area. This shoulddisperse dispersedigging diggingeffort in 1978. This should effort in 1978. o o o o o Table lists annual annualcatch for the catchdata Table 5 5 lists datafor fishery. the fishery. o -3-3Table 1. Sport Table 1. Sport Harvest Harvest of of Razor Razor Clams Clams and and liumber Diggers by Humber sf of Diggers by Area Area ffrom romClatsop ClatsopBeaches, Beaches, f,larchto 4arch September,1977. to September, 1,977" o ifiles of Area o o o o o o o o o Beach Number of ri Digging Trips Clams Oug[ Digger Trip Number of Clams Dug Number of Clams Wasted Harves Total 1 1 3.6 3.6 4,274 4,274 10.9 10.9 49,151 49,151 3,249 3,249 5?,400 52,400 2 2 6.2 6.2 5 ,884 5,884 la.? 10.2 6 1,456 61,456 4,062 4,062 65,518 65,518 3 3 5 .0 5.0 6,781 6,781 5 .? 5.2 35,303 35,303 2,333 2,333 37,636 37,636 4 4 t.2 1.2 5,450 5,450 9.5 9.5 51 , 5 5 2 51,552 3,407 3,407 54,959 54,959 5 5 2.0 2.0 2 9 ,0 5 9 29,059 10.4 10.4 301,323 301,323 L9,917 19,917 32L,240 321,240 T0tal Total 1 8.0 18.0 51,448 51,448 498,785 498,785 32,968 32,968 531'753 531,753 9 . 6 t/ 9.6'! 1 1 -2 -2 3 3 -4 4 -5 5 -- park Road Columbia Fort Stevens to Fort Columbia River StevensPark River to Road Fort Stevens StevensPark Park Road Roadto to Sunset Sunset Beach Fort BeachRoad Road Sunset Sunset Beach Beach Road Road to to Gearhart Gearhart Beach Beach Road Road GearhartBeach BeachRoad Roadto Gearhart to Uecanicum f{ecanicum River River llecani Ri cum (Seaside) ver to Ti I I anrook Head(Seaside) Necanicum River to Tillamook Head :!'I Neighted nean Weighted mean Table Table 2. 2. Year of Harvest Age Composition,in Age Composition, Sport Dug in percent, percent, uf of Sport DugRazor RazorClams Clamsfrom from Clatsop Beaches, Beachesnt972-19V7 Clatsp 1972-1977.0 1 2 3 4 5+ 1972 1972 24.2 24.2 5 3 .B 53.8 18.2 18.2 3.4 3.4 0.3 0.3 0.1 0.1 1973 1973 32.4 32.4 49.9 49.9 8.1 8.1 8.5 8.5 1.,0 1.0 0.1 0.1 t974 1974 10.0 10.0 s 5 .3 55.3 24,3 24.3 6.9 6.9 3.3 3.3 0.2 0.2 1975 1975 24.4 24.0 46.0 46.0 17'6 17.6 9.8 9.8 2.3 2.3 0.3 0.3 1976 1976 1.4.6 14.6 78.9 78.9 2.8 2.8 2.CI 2.0 1.3 1.3 0.4 0.4 L977 1977 37.5 37.5 1 5.7 15.7 3 33.5 3.5 6.6 6.6 3 .8 3.8 2.9 2.9 year 10 year averqse average 21. 7 21 7 5B.E 58 5 - , 13 9 13.9 4.6 4 6 l. l, 11 0 4 .22 J -4-4T a b l e 3. 3. Table o per cent, of A g e Composition, C o mp osition, Age in percent, in of Commercially Commercially Dug Razor DugRazor Cianrsfrom from Clatsop Clatsop Beaches, Clams Beaches,t972-1977. 1972-1977. Year of H arvest Harvest o o 4 4 s 5 78.0 78.0 tt.4 11.4 4.7 0.7 0.0 0.0 1973 1973 2.0 2.0 67.4 67.4 13.3 13.3 15B . 15.8 1.3 1.3 0.2 0.2 1974 1974 0.7 0.7 4 0.0 40.0 35.9 35.9 1.3.0 13.0 10.2 10.2 9.2 0.2 1975 1975 0.4 0.4 5 0 .B 50.8 t4.7 14.7 ?0,6 20.6 11.9 11.9 1.6 1.6 1976 1976 8 .7 8.7 87.4 87.4 2.6 2.6 0.9 0.9 0.4 0.4 0.0 0.0 t977 1977 1.6 1.6 8.7 8.7 60.0 60.0 t2.0 12.0 10.6 10.6 7.1 7.1 10 year averase average 2.1 2.1 50.8 50.8 27.0 27.0 t3.B 13.8 5.6, 5.6 gJ 0.7 RazorClam ClamCatch CatchData Datafrom from Beaches Beaches Southof TillamookHead, of Tillamook Razor South Head,1977. Lgll. Area Sampled No. of Diagers No. of Clams Clams! Diciaer Age Composition in Percentij 0 1 2 3 A 5 In d i a n Beach Be a ch Indian 20 2 0 0 0 - - - - - - CrescentBeach Beacir Crescent 00 0 0 0 0 - - - - - - CannonBeach Beach Cannon 44 6 2 62 15.5 15.5 9 9 .0 99.0 1.0 1.0 00 0 0 00 0 0 Arch Cape Arch Cape 1 1 14 14 1 4.0 14.0 99.2 99.2 00 00 0 0 0.9 0 .8 207 207 13.8 1r].B 96.5 96.5 1.5 1.5 .6 .6 .4 .4 .1 .1 .9 .9 7.6 7.6 13.0 13.0 82.6 8 2.6 4.4 4.4 0 0 00 0 0 Cove tleach Cove Beach o 3 3 9 .9 9.9 Table4. 4. Table o Z 2 0.0 0.0 o o 1 t972 1972 o o 0 0 __I 11 11 Short Sands Short Sands 5 5 38 Agate Beach Beach Agate - - - 42.9 42.9 42.9 42.9 5.7 5.7 0 0 5.7 5.7 2.9 2.8 SouthBeach Beach South ({,lewport) (Newport) - - - 5s.4 55.4 t2.9 12.9 22.8 22.8 5.9 5.9 1.0 1.0 2.0 2 .0 Bastendorff Bastendorff 2 2 15 15 7.5 7.5 70.0 70.0 20.0 20.0 10.0 10.0 0 0 00 0 0 S o . Slough S l o u g hSpit Spit So. (CoosBay) (Coos Bay) 4 4 26 26 6.5 6 .5 14.2 14,2 42.9 42.9 42.9 42.9 0 0 00 0 0 Si xes Sixes 0 00 0 - - - - - - - llai ly Beach Beach Baily 00 0 0 - - - - - - - fviyersCreek Nyers Creek 648 6 6 9 .1 69.1 17.6 L7,6 10.3 10.3 j/ U 38 48 - I n c l u d e sbiologist's b i o l o g i s t r sssanple Includes ample 12.0 12.0 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5 0 0 I' J. '^ - 5Table Table 5. 5. o Year Year o o o o o a o ffi Ilumberof o number Diqqers Diggers Sport Clams! Diqqer Trip Trip Digger ikimber o of ClamsDug Duq Clams Total Total l,Jastaoe Harvest Iastage Harvest 295 295 904,000 904,000 56'ooo 56,000 21.6 21.6 295,000 2,411,000 1,212,000 295,000 2,411,000 1,212,000 1956 1956 253 253 490,000 490,000 60,000 60,000 L 7" 7 17.7 295,000 1,846,000 1 , 0 6 1 , 0 0 0 295,000 1,061,000 1,846,000 1957 1957 193 193 336,000 336,000 77 rA0A 77,000 21.4 21.4 1,646,000 416,000 416,000 2,398,000 1,646,000 2,398,000 1958 1958 221 221 386,000 386,000 89,000 89,000 19.9 1.9 1 , 6 7 9 , 0 0 0 218,000 218,000 2,283,000 2,283,000 1,679,000 1959 1959 118 118 179,000 179,000 54,000 54,000 L2.0 12.0 646,000 124,000 646,000 124,000 949,000 949,000 1960 1960 93 93 154,000 154,000 48,000 48,000 t2.4 12.4 596,000 596,000 46,000 46,000 796,000 796,000 1961 1961 5B 58 Bo'ooo 51,000 51,000 11.4 11.4 583,000 583,000 70,000 70,000 733,000 733,000 1962 1962 79 79 102,000 102,000 56,000 56,000 1 59 . 15.9 892,000 105,000 892,000 105,000 1,099,000 1,099,000 1963 1963 77 77 107,000 107,000 55'ooo 55,000 13.0 13.0 713,000 713,000 1964 1964 125 125 125,000 125,000 71,000 71,000 15.5 15.5 I , 0 9 8 , 0 0 0 264"000 1,098,000 264,000 1,487,o0o 1,487,000 1965 1965 213 2L3 399,000 399,000 76'ooo 76,000 14.9 L4.g l , 1 3 4 , 0 0 0 186,000 186,000 1,719,000 1,134,000 1,719,000 1966 1966 217 217 282,000 282,000 78,000 78,000 13.6 13.6 1 , 0 5 2 , 0 0 0 434,000 434,000 1,768,000 1,052,000 1,768,000 1967 1967 297 297 494,000 494.,000 74,000 74,000 1.9.9 19.9 1,472,000 195,000 1,472,000 195,000 2,161,000 2,161,000 1968 1968 340 340 361,000 36 1,000 64,000 64,000 13.0 13.0 831,000 831,000 162,000 162,000 1,354,000 1,354,000 1969 L969 185 185 111,000 I 11,000 59,000 59,000 14.4 14.4 851,000 851,000 1970 t97A 79 79 61,000 6 1,000 56,000 56,000 1.2.B 12.8 715,000 125,000 715,000 125,000 134 t34 123,000 123,000 77,000 77,000 12.6 L2.6 968,000 213,000 968,000 213,000 1o 304,000 1,304,000 76 49,000 49,000 69,000 69,000 9.2 9.2 636,000 636,000 139,000 139,000 824,000 824,000 111 89,000 B9,000 76,000 76,000 9 .5 9.5 725,000 159,000 725,000 159,000 973,000 973,000 1974 t974 58 5B 32,000 32,000 44,000 44,000 7.9 7.9 347,000 347,000 1975 t9v5 146 146 171,000 171,000 75,000 75,000 10.5 10.5 1976 1976 391 391 7n,400 717,000 119,000 119,000 12.0 v.a 1977 L977 269 269 143,000 143,000 51,000 51,000 9.6 9.6 l,iean 4ean 175 775 256,000 256 "000 67,000 67,000 14.0 14.0 1971 t97t 1973 1973 a Commercial Uumber of Ikimber of Diggers Diggers ClamsDug Dug Clams 1955 1955 1972 t97? a AnnualHarvest Harvest and Annual and Effort Effort Data for the Data for the Sport Sport and and Commercial Comrnercial Fishery. Fishery. 11.1 80,000 70,000 70,000 890,000 890,000 155,000 155,000 1,117,000 1,117,000 5,000 5,000 901,000 901,000 384,000 384,000 785,000 157,000 785,000 157,000 1,113,000 1,113,000 63,000 2,211,000 1 , 4 3 1 , 0 0 0 63,000 1,431,000 2,211n000 499,000 499,000 33,000 33,000 675,000 675,000 938,000 171,000 171,000 1,365,000 938,000 1,365,000