ol=,',
OREGON
OREGOTT
1983
JUL
JULii
I I 1983
o
srllEU8flrnY
&AIE LI8RARY
o
SIELI2ISII
INVESTIGATION
S:TELIFISII INYESTIGATION
RSPORT
INFORMATION REPORT
:NFORMATION
o
o
FisherY
Clan Fishery
1980 Razor Clam
o
o
by
o
Link
Terry
Terry Link
:fiLdlife
Fish and
and ti1dlife
Oregon
of Fish
Department of
Oregon Department
Marine
ltarine Region
;
o
1981
March
10, 1981
Itarch 10,
i
U- t
I
a
.
o
The 1980
Razor Clam
1980 Razor
Flshery
Clan Fishery
- Coh:srbia
(Tillarnook llead
frorn Clatsop
Razor
Head Columbia River)
Razor clams
clans from
Clatsop beach
beach (Tillantook
River)
t
etere
fron March
were sampled
sampled regularly
regularly from
March through
through Septenber
September and
and periodically
periodically the
the
year.
rest of
rest
the year.
of the
Sport and commercial
interviewed
Sport
to
conunercial diggers
diggers were
\N€re interviewed
to
obtain
and number
location
nuurber and
obtain catch
and
catch location
age composition
composition of
of clams
dug.
and age
clams dug.
o
Random
sampLes.and
Random age-length
samples
and wastage
age-length
wastage samples
were collected.
samples were
collected.
Data
Data
frorn
from. other
other beaches
beaches south
south of
of Til'lanook
Til-lamook Head
Head were
were collected
collected as
as time
time
premitted.
premitted.
o
Sport
Sport Fishery
Fishery
A harvest
of 890,000
harvest of
wastage was taken
taken by
A
wastage
the
8901000 clams
clams including
including
by the
o
sport
fishery
from Clatsop
sport fishery
from
Clatsop beach.
beach.
70rO0O digger
digger trips.
on 70,000
trips.
calculated
747 1000 clams
dug
A calculated
747,000
clams were dug
This represents
This
represents a 4.0%
decrease in
digger trips
4.0t decrease
trips
in digger
decrease in
in number
year average.
5.7t decrease
nr:nber of
from the
and 5.7%
the 10
of clams
clans from
l0 year
average.
o
The twetuo-
mile
Seaside beach accounted
accounted for
for 49.8t
mile Seaside
49.8% of
of the
the digger
digger trips
trips and
and 65.8t
65.8% of
of
the clams dug.
the
dug.
Table 1 lists
lists
Table
harvest,
harvest, catch
catch rates
rates and
and number
number of
d,iggers
of diggers
statistical
by statistical
area.
area"
o
wastage was
Clam wastage
$ras estimated
estirnated at
Clam
although rate
rate was high
high losses
losses
at 16.1%
16.1t and although
were
to reduced
were rninimal
minimal due to
in
reduced effort
in July
July and
September.
effort
and September.
Age compo-
sition
of sport
sport dug clams
year class
clams in
in Table
Table 22 reflects
sition
of
the
large 1979
reflects
the.large
class
l9Z9 year
that entered
fishery.
that
entered the
the fishery.
I
A sport
sport digger
digger survey
survey was conducted
to determine
determine who was
was using
using the
the
conduqted to
clam
clam resource.
resource.
sanple of
of'L415
found that
that 98.7%
A sample
14l6 digger
were Oregon
Oregon
digger trips
trips found
98.7t were
residents,
for their
residents, 7.0t
7.0% were.
were cliggtng
digging for
their first
first time
time and
and 3"0t
3.0% were
were digging
digging
o
o
in Oregon because
in
because of
of the
the tlashington
l?ashington clam
license.
clan license.
a
o
from
Diggers by
by Area
Area from
of Diggers
Table
--SportHarvest
Harvest ofof Razor
Razor Clams
Clams and
and Nunber
Number of
Table ]..
l.--Sport
1980.
Septenber, 1980.
to September,
Clatsop
Hareh to
Beach, March
Clatsop Beach,
Area
Miles
lliles of
of
Beach
Beach
No.
of
No. of
Trlps
Digger
Digger Trips
I
a
No.
N o . of
of
Dug
Clams Dug
No.
of
No. of
wasted
Clams
Clans Wasted
Halvest
Harvest
Total
Total
1
1
3.6
3
.6
8,949
8
r949
5
.9
5.9
52,973
52,973
1 0 ,r 5 5
10,165
63,l-38
63,138
2
2
6.2
6.2
15,107
15,107
6.1
6.1
92,016
92 , 016
].7,657
17,657
109,673
109,673
3
3
5
.0
5.0
6 1323
6,323
5.7
5.7
3
36,086
6,086
6,925
6
,925
4
3,011
43,011
4
4
L.2
1.2
5,004
5,004
14.8
1 4. 8
74 , 2 7 8
74,278
L4,254
14,254
88r532
88.532
5
5
2.O
2.0
35,067
3
5, 0 6 7
14.0
14.0
49L,474
491,474
9
4,3t1
94,311
585,785
5 8 5, 7 8 5
r8 .0
18.0
70,450
7
0,450
10.6*
10.6r
74 6 , 8 2 7
746,827
1 4 3, 3 1 2
143,312
gg0,13g
890,139
Total
Total
t
Clams Dug/
Dug!
Clans
triP
Digger Trip
Digger
r* weighted
weighted mean
mean
Park Rd.
Rd"
Stevens Park
Ft. Stevens
to Ft.
Columbia River
River to
Area 3.
I == Coh:rnbia
Rd"
Sunset Beach
Beach Rd.
Park Rd.
to Sunset
Rd. to
2 =
= Ft.
Stevens Park
Ft. Stevens
Rd.
Beach Rd.
to Gearhart
Gearhart Beach
Rd. to
Sunset Beach Rd.
3 = Sunset
3
River
Necanicr:n River
to Necanicum
Rd. to
4 =
= Gearhart
Gearhart Beach Rd.
(Seaside)
(Seaside)
= Necanicuin
Head
Head
Tillamook
to
Rlver
5 =
River
to
Tillamook
Necanicun
o
Clatsop
frorn Clatsop
Dug Razor
Clanrs from
Razor clams
Table
of Sport
Sport Dug
Petrcent, of
l-n Percent,
Table 2.--Age
Conpos.i.tion, in
2.--Age Composition,
Beach,
1975-1980.
Beachl 1975-1980.
$
a
o
I
I
O
Year of
Yearof
Harvest
Harvest
0
1
2
3
4
5+
5+
1975
1
975
24.O
24.0
46.0
45.0
17.6
1
7. 6
9.8
9.8
2,3
2"5
0.3
0.3
1976
1
976
14"6
14.6
78.9
7
9.9
2.8
2.8
2"A
2.0
1.3
1"3
0.4
0
.4
1977
L977
37.5
3 7. 5
15.7
1
5.7
33.5
33.5
6.6
5.6
3.8
3.8
2.9
2.9
1978
1978
28.7
28.7
61.8
6
1.8
4.0
4
.0
3.5
3"5
11
1.3
6
1
0.7
1979
1979
I2.3
12.3
75.3
?
5.3
11.1
11.1
0.9
0.9
0.3
0.3
nl
0.1
1980
L
980
44.6
44.6
32.0
3
2.0
16.7
L6.7
6.1
6.1
0.5
0
.5
0.1
0.1
10 Year
Year
l0
Average
Average
2
3 .O
230
57.5
5
7.5
13.4
1
3.4
4
.3
4.3
1.4
t"4
0.4
0"4
o
.
/
Fishery
Commercial
Comnercial Fishery
o
d,iggers.
145 diggers.
rere dug by 145
(115,OOO clams)
clarns) were
pounds (116,000
2or29]- pounds
of 20,291
A harvest
harvest of
landed'
pounds landed.
total
pounds
the total
of the
for 76%
75t of
accounted for
Statistical area
area 5 accounted
Statlstical
o
The
pounds
the 10,061
101061 pounds
of the
data of
include data
not include
does not
Table 33 does
age composition
in
in Table
conposition
first
predorninately
first
vere predominately
which were
falI fishery
flshery which
the fall
of clams
in the
landed in
of
clans landed
year clams.
clarns.
year
o
from
total clam
of the
clam harvest
harvest from
the total
of
took 11.5%
ll.st
fishery
commercial fishery
took
The comrnercial
beach.
Clatsop
clatsop beach.
the beach
leaving the
diggers leaving
of 67
conmercial diggers
A sample
sample of
67 commercial
licensed
to a licensed
not sold
sold to
nas not
dug was
poundage dug
the poundage
of the
indicated that
that 20.3%
20.3t of
indicated
o
clams.
of 29,663
291663 clarns'
total of
to aa total
wholesale
amounting to
wholesale buyer,
bn:yer, amounting
in the
the
diggers
in
participating
diggers participating
inexperienced
of inexperienced
nurnber of
the number
Due to
to the
fishery,
a bproblem
f i s h e r y , w awastage
s t a g e i s is
n o wnow
apro
l e m a n d sand
h o u lshould
d b e c o nbe
s i d econsidered
r e d i n t h e in the
o
future.
future.
clams
sublegal clams
of damaged
of
damageil sublegal
or replacing
replacing
of replacing
replacing
lack of
The lack
or
problems.
social
social problems.
sPort-couunercial
welL as
as sport-commercial
as well
is
wastage
wastage as
iS creating
ereating
Head
Tillanrook Head
of Tillamook
South of
Froduction
Razor Clam Production
South
Razor
o
time
Tillmook Head as time
of Tilimook
south of
beaches south
frorn 14 beaches
Data
obtained from
were obtained
Data were
permitted.
permitted.
o
data.
catch
catch data.
pertinent
and pertinent
the beaches and
Table 4 lists
the
lists
Table
Most
llost
with 1+
1+
digging with
than
average digging
than average
better
have better
beaches south
have
of Tillanook
Tillanook
south of
beaches
catch.
the catch.
of the
most of
uP most
naking up
and 2+ age clams
clams making
r,rcrk has been
Extra work
Extra
some
present on
on some
is present
cligging is
that good digging
public
aware that
the public
involved in
making the
aware
in naking
involved
o
beaches"
southern beaches.
southern
Breakwater
S r e a k w a t e r eextension
x t e n s i o n oon
n S oSouth
u t h S l oslough,
u g h , C o oCoos
s B a y Bay
w a s ewas
x a mexamined
i n e d - f i n a-l final
of
westward of
developing westward
is developing
small beach is
placement
clan bed and a small
placenent missed
nissed clam
o
1..
o
extension.
extension.
Disposition
of spit
spit northwest
northwest of
questionable
of extension
extensj.on is
Disposition
of
questionable
is still
still
present is
at present
but at
is stable
stable and
d199able.
and diggable.
but
n
o
"
llarvest
Sumnary
Harvest
Summary
Digging
was hindered
hindered by
by an early
annual beach cycle
Digging was
early annual
eycre and complicated
complicated
o
by
erupt5.ons of
of Mount St.
Helens which
St. Helens
which left
left
flood debris
by eruptions
flood
debris and floating
floatinc
punrice and
and sediments
sediments on
on the
the beach.
pumice
beach.
often
cigging
r^ras hampered
Often digging
was
hampered by
by heavy
heavy
plankton blooms
blooms reducing
reducing visibility
visibility
vater and layering
in water
layering beaches
plankton
in
beaches
o
obliterating
clam shows.
shohrs.
obliterating
clam
The large
large 1979
1979 set
set dominate
dominate the
the summer
surnmer and fall
faLl fishery
fishery
The
on Seaside
Seaside
Gearhart beach.
and Gearhart
beach.
o
o
o
o
o
set was high
high on the
the beach
beach in
in many places
The set
places which
which
provided
good dry
dry digging.
digging.
provided good
o
r.
L
o
Percent of
Table 3.--Age
of Commercially
from Clatsop
Table
3.--Age Composition
Composition in
in Percent
Dug Clams
Colrunercially Dug
Clams from
Clatsop
Beach,
B e a c h , 1975-1980.
1975-1980.
Yearof
Year of
0
1
2
1975
1975
0.4
0
.4
50.8
1
0.8
14.7
L4.7
1976
L976
8.7
8.7
87.4
87.4
1977
L977
1.6
1
.6
1978
I978
4
5
20.6
20"6
11.9
11.9
1.6
1.5
2.6
2.6
0.9
0
"9
0.4
0
.4
0.0
0.0
8.7
8.7
60.0
6
0.0
12.0
12.0
10.6
10.6
t.L
7.1
0.8
o.8
70.8
70.8
10.7
I0 .7
12.6
t2"6
3.4
3
.4
1.7
1.7
1979
I979
0.0
0
.0
61.9
61.9
z26.1
o. L
7.1
7
,1
4.0
4.0
0.9
0.9
1980
I980
0.7
o
.7
90.9
90.9
7.5
7.5
0.7
0
.7
n
n
0.0
0.2
o.2
10
J0 Year
Average
t1.8
.8
50.8
50.8
28.4
28.4
12.1
1 2. 1
5,7
5
"7
1.2
L.2
Harvest
Harvest
o
o
o
o
o
o
r
O
o
o
3
It..
{
o
A
E
Aa a
Ert . o o o
F
t
g+
rco
Pql
o
F
9,
cr
H
o
A
I
I
F
!,
N
i + T
+
o
11
F!€
3sg
F
0
0
8
12
28
0
11
14
17
10
20
1
'otsoo{,tsrHo@i\r@oo
No. of
Diggers
0z
5l\,l-'Hts|J\j9
Table 4.--Razor Clam Data from Beaches South of Tillamook Head, 1980.
f* g
r; s e'pE
EF $
u: : g l
r
?
;€ $ I *f 3
+$
a H fl
1 r g;
U!
9, It
3fl
Area
Sampled
Indian Beach*
Cresent Beach*+
Chapman Point
Silver Point
Falcon Cove+
Short Sands*+
I
P
Bay Ocean+
.
o
North Beach (Newport)
o
o
South Beach (Newport)
H7
OE
Bastendorf (Coos Bay)+
trt,
(Coos Bay)
gt
ql
1a
qt
tl
South Slough Spit
o
H
Whisky Run
tuo
\o<cFt
Bailyfleachs.
oo
F[3
8888 r?;',s9R5
91iFcmti.\<01-i-to-o.
.5
:
$ aS g e s o l 8 # ?s fr
3f
Myer Creek (Gold Beach) 49
5F
* Biologist sample only
+ One day sample
+t
otE
P.O
q"
q
oo
ft Fn
(,1
o
2
o
p,
cr
!,
Hr
P,l
5
No. of
Clams
-
-
0
96
336
-
122
0
0
doEEoS,SuHEorl
-
232
1't-r-NrHt^r
166
196
778
o
PO
!r.
,
oo
Fh
tt
o
(t
ta
Clams/
Digger
UO
l-- ts
\o q,
q5
o(n
B\
-
-
A
o\
ts
"l
I
I
0
tr
8.0
@
12.0
\('
tti
34.6
t^
-
!\)
t"t.
8.3
o
1.8
23.5
18.2
Ett,Nw
@lrrtgpOOA
11.1
9.8
'.o@oro.|Poo
16.6
16.6
15.9
o
tstsPrJlJ
trroororlilr@
rr
rn
€
P.
P
H
9,
t
o
)(
o
A,
r-l>
1
5
ln
tg
'lg
2
{
II tr,.
r
lF*
F
ls
(,IF.
l5
3
44.9
l$
^lE
4
u,
34.7
@
I
Age Composition in Percent
16.3
\9\oao\o
I
(,
100.0
tr,
21,4
3.3
o.|
tr,
(,
76.2
9.1
41.6
A
H
{Noa
HOPOA
8.3
24.6
10.3
H('|o
@1ot,
@G'N
70.9
9.3
5.9
HH
orH
ooo
1,9
4.4
11.8
16.5
u,
t\)
Alo
o
2.4
q|Ut
20.8
\OF
30.8
32.7
rrll)\t
N
6ra\o
,tr
ur
P
o
21.5
11.3
HFu,
54.5
38.2
32.4
o
tstr|J
U'INFJ
9.6
33.8
15.1
ooNo(Jl{'5
17.6
29.6
.\,(,WF(.'|(,
\O(,@{Ai\JN
I
lrr
I
FAU'
ao
I
rl
5+
O@LJ
3.3
@
4.8
@
1.0
8.8
o
I
o
H
\o
I
'r
a
o
'':
Tatle 5.--Annual
S.--Annual Harvest
ltarvest and
and Effort
TaMe
Data
Effort
Data for
for the
the Sport
Sport and Commercial
Commercial Fishery*
I'ishery*
Comnercial
Commercial
Nunber of
Number
of
Nr:nber of
Number
of
Year Diqqers
Year
Diggers
Clams Dug
o
o
o
o
o
5
o
o
a
o
llumber of
of
Number
D
Diggers
per
Clams per
Digger Trip
Tr
Digger
Number of
Number
of
Clans Dug
Clams
Wastage
Total
Total
llarvest
Harvest
1955
1955
295
295
904, ooo
904,000
56
56,000
I 0OO
21.5
21.6
l _r 2 I 2 , 0 0 0
1,212,000
2 9 5r 0 0 o
295,000
2,411 000
2,411,000
1956
1956
253
253
490,000
490,000
50r00o
60,000
L7.7
17.7
1 , 0 6 1, 0 0 0
1,061,000
295,000
295,000
I,846,000
1,846,000
1957
1957
t93
193
335,000
336,000
77 rooo
77,000
21.4
2L.4
I r 6 4 6, 0 0 0
1,646,000
416,000
416,000
2r398r000
2,398,000
I958
1958
22t
221
386,000
386,000
99,00O
89,000
1
8.9
18.9
1,679,000
1,679,000
2 j . 8, 0 0 0
218,000
2 , 2 8 3, 0 0 o
2,283,000
I959
1959
rl8
118
17g
179,000
r 0o0
54,0oo
54,000
1
2.O
12.0
646,000
646,000
1 2 4, 0 0 0
124,000
949,000
949,000
1960
l96o
93
93
1
5 4 ,o o o
154,000
48,000
48,000
L2.4
12.4
596,000
596,000
46,000
46,000
795,000
796,000
1961
I961
58
58
8 0r 0 0 0
80,000
5l ' ooo
51,000
11.4
11.4
5 8 3, 0 o o
583,000
70,000
70,000
7 3 3 ,o 0 o
733,000
L962
1962
7
799
1 0 2, 0 o o
102,000
55, o0o
56,000
1 5. 9
15.9
8
92,000
892,000
t 963
1963
77
77
I07,0OO
107,000
55
55,000
r 000
13.0
13.0
7
13;OOo
713;000
"
1 o 5, 0 0 0
105,000
1r0ggr0o0
1,099,000
70,000
70,000
890,000
890,000
1964
1964
l2s
125
1
25,000
125,000
7 1r 0 0 0
71,000
1
5.5
15.5
1,098, 000
1,098,000
2
54,000
264,000
1,497,000
1,487,000
1965
1965
213
213
3
9 9 ,O 0 o
399,000
7 6 ,o oo
76,000
1
4.9
14.9
1r134,o0o
1,134,000
186,000
186,000
1 , 7 1 9 ,0 0 0
1,719,000
1965
1966
2L7
217
282,0o0
282,000
78 'AOO
78,000
13"5
13.6
1 , 0 5 2, 0 o o
1,052,000
434,00a
434,000
I,768,aoo
1,768,000
1967
1967
297
297
4
9 4, 0 0 0
494,000
7
4,000
74,000
1 9 .9
19.9
I , 4 7 2, o o Q
1,472,000
'l
1968
1968
340
340
3
6 1, 0 0 0
361,000
64
64,000
r 00o
1
3.0
13,0
1969
1969
185
185
l111,000
ll,000
59
59,000
r 000
1970
1970
7
799
6
1,000
61,000
1971
1971
I34
134
1972
1972
n^n
- JO
r q
195,000
2
2,161,000
, 1 6 1, 0 0 0
831,000
831,000
162,000
162,000
1,354,000
1,354,000
14.4
14.4
851,000
851,000
1
55,000
155,000
1r117,ooo
1,117,000
56,000
56,000
I12,8
2 .8
7 5 1, 0 0 0
751,000
1 2 5, 0 0 0
125,000
901,000
901,000
1 2 3r 0 0 0
123,000
77,ooo
77,000
12.6
1 2. 5
968,000
968,000
2 1 3, 0 0 0
213,000
1,304,000
1,304,000
76
76
49 r 000
49,000
69,000
69,000
9.2
9.2
635,000
636,000
139,000
139,000
824,000
824,000
1973
1973
I1r
111
89,000
89,000
76 r 000
76,000
9.5
9.5
7 2 5t 0 o 0
725,000
1
59,000
159,000
9 7 3, 0 0 0
973,000
1974
L974
588
5
3 2, 0 0 0
32,000
4
4,ooo
44,000
7
7.9
.9
347,999
347,000
5,000
5r000
384,000
384,000
1975
1975
146
146
171,000
I71,000
75r 000
75,000
10.5
10.5
785,00o
785,000
157,000
157,000
L , 1 1 3, 0 0 o
1,113,000
1976
1976
391
3el
7L7
717,OOO
,ooo -
119,000
119,000
1
2"0
12.0
" 1,431,000
1r43lrO0O
6 3, 0 0 0
63,000
2 , 2 1 1, 0 0 0
2,211,000
L977
1977
?69
269
I143,000
43 ,000
5l r00o
51,000
9.6
9.6
499,000
499,000
33,000
33,000
1978
1978
6 7 5, 0 0 0
675,000
253
253
205r000
205,000
72,0O0
72,000
11.8
IL.8
849,0o0
849,000
137,000
137,000
1 , 1 9 L, 0 0 0
1,191,000
I979
1979
236
236
180,000
180,000
90 r 000
90,000
10.7
10.7
1,201,0oo
1,201,000
145
14s
958,000
?58' ooo
5 3, 0 0 0
63,000
1980
I980
115,000
116,000
7
0,000
70,000
10.6
10.5
7 4 7, o 0 o
747,000
1 4 3, 0 0 0
143,000
1r006r000
1,006,000
rvvv