o
t
':l
OlEGO$
OREGOII
JUL
JUrI111983
I 1983
o
STATE u8f,AffY
UBRARY
$rfi
SHELLFISH
INVESTIGATION
SHELLFISH
INVESTIGATION
INFORMATION
REPORT
INFORHATION
REPORT
c
NO.
83- l
N0.83-1
o
Fisher y
1982
1 9 82Razor
RazorClam
ClamFishery
o
by
by
Terry
Link
Terry Link
o
a
0regonDepartment
Department
Fish and
Oregon
of
of Fish
andWildlife
l,l'ildlife
Marine
I'larine Region
Region
o
February15,
February
15, 1983
1983
o
o
t.
oi
I
I
o
INTRODUCTION
INTROt)UCTION
a
( Tillamook
River )were
Columbia
wer e
Headto
to Columbia
Razor
(Tillamook
Head
River)
n
. r o , clams
B each
cl a m from
C l a tso pBeach
fro mClatsop
periodically the
andperiodically
the
sampled regularly
through
and
Septen6er
throughSeptember
sanrpled
l*larch
regularly from
fromMarch
o
year. Sport
diggers wer€
were interviewed
interviewed to
to
andconinercial
rest of
of the
Sportand
conmrcial diggers
rest
the year.
Random
of clams
dug. Random
obtain catch
and
clamsdug.
andage
agecomposition
conpositionof
obtain
number
catchlocations,
locations, number
Datafrom
fromother
other
werecollected.
age-length
samples
were
sarnp)es
collected. Data
wastage
andwastage
age-tengthsamples
sarplesand
o
permitted'
as time
tine permitted.
beaches
south
Head
rverecollected
collectedas
Headwere
southof
beaches
of Tillamook
Tillamook.
SPORT
FISHERY
SPORT
FISHERY
t
Clatsop
Cl-gtsopBeach
Beach
A calculated
were harvested
and an
an additiona'l
additional 123,000
123,000 clams
clams
harvestedand
A
calculated758,000
clamswere
758,000clams
Beach. This
This represents
representsaa
ClatsopBeach.
to Clatsop
were
digger
wer.ewasted
wastedon
841000
diggertrips
trips to
on84,000
O
jsnedigger
a n18%
d i g g e trips
rt r i p s
a n dan
18%
' i n c r e ain
6%
in
increase
6 %increase
increase
n u m b eof
c l a m dug
sd u gand
i n number
orf clams
Seaside Beach
Beach accounted
accounted for
for 31.8%
31,8%of
of
from
th e ten-year
f r o mthe
a ve ra g(72-81).
e(72- 81) . Seaside
te n -ye a raverage
tr ips with
diggertrips
off the
with Sunset
Sunset Beach
Beach accountin
accounting g
tthe
h e clams
the digger
c 'l a msdug
d u gand
a n d27.4%
2 7 .4 %
o
o
diggertrips.
tr ips.
of the
thedigger
for
of
and31.7%
31.7%
d u gand
th e clams
f o r : 28.7%
28 .7 %of
o f the
cl a rs dug
Clam
was
wastage
w as
Clamwastage
Reduced
effort
June. Reduced
dur i ng
in late
effor t during
late June.
of 24%
?4%
calculated
with
in
c a l cu l a te dat
w i th aa high
highof
1 4 .4 %
a t 14.4%
of older
older clams
l98l
lack of
clamsdue
dueto
to 1981
Thelack
,July
J u l yand
down. The
a n dSeptember
ke
l o ssesdown.
S e p te mbkept
e
r p tlosses
a
t h e catch
l i s t e d iin
n
c a t c hlisted
winter
of
a g ecomposition
c o m p o s i t i oo
nf the
w ' i n t e rlosses
b y the
t h e age
v e r i f i e dby
i s verified
l o s s e sis
Table
T a b l e2.
2.
ar€a.
statistical area.
of
lists harvest,
harvest, catch
of diggers
diggers by
by statistical
andnumber
number
Table
Table1I lists
rates and
catclrrates
o
o
o
200diggers
were
upto
to 200
diggerswere
Fall
weather
althoughup
weatheralthough
by stormy
stormy.
Fall digging
diggingwas
washindered
hinderedby
per trip.
10.5
l0' 5 clams
clamsper
tr ip.
aver aged
Oigger saveraged
o
out
ut o
onn several
se vb ra ldaylight
ti des. Diggers
d q yl j g h ttides.
-2-.2 -
a
o
o
1.
Table1.
Table
Area
Area
from
area from
by area
diggersby
of diggers
number
of
andnumber
clamsand
razor clams
of razor
harvestof
Sport harvest
Sport
1982'
1982.
September,
to September,
March to
Beach'March
Clatsop Beach,
Ciatsop
es No. of
Miles
Digger
Digger
of
of
Tri ps
Beach Trips
Beach
t
3
.6
3.6
I
6
.2
6.2
2
2
5.0
5.0
3
3
t1.2
.2
4
4
2
.4
2.0
5
5
8.0
TOTAL
18.0
TOTAL 1
o
Ar
e a11 -Area
2 -2
3
3 4 -4
5 -5
1
o
1977
t977
1978
1978
1979
1979
1980
1980
o
1981
1981
1992
1982
ear
10 Year
Average
o
o
of
N o . of
No.
D
C'lams
Clams Dug
7.8
7.8
8.?
8.2
6.7
6.7
14.1
14.1
10.6
10.6
9;j*
9
:1*
5
,074
5,074
2 6 ,4 8 5
26,485
z0,314
20,314
8 ,8 3 4
8,834
22,856
22,856
g
3,553
83,563
N o .of
of
No.
Wasted
ClamsWasted
Clams
Harvest
Harvest
Total
Total
39,617
39,617
2r7,756
217,756
135,728
135,728
r24,203
124,203
2 4 1, 1 5 3
241,153
5,449
6,449
35,449
35,449
22,095
2?,095
20,219
20,219
39,258
39,258
46,066
46,066
253,205
253,205
157,823
157,823
r44,422
144,422
280,411
280,411
758,457
758,457
123,470
123,470
881,927
881,927
** w
mean
weighted
e j g h t e dmean
Rd.
Par kRd.
F t. Stevens
StevensPark
to Ft.
R
Co l u mb iRiver
a i ve r to
Columbia
Rd'
Beach
Beach
Rd.
Sunset
Rd.
Rd.
to
to
Sunset
Park
Park
Ft. Stevens
Stevens
Ft.
Rd.
Beach
Rd.
Beach
Gearhart
Rd.
to
to
Gearhart
Beach
Rd.
Sunset
Sunset Beach
River
River
Necanicum
Rd. to
to Necanicum
BeachRd.
Gearhart
Gearhart Beach
Seaside'
Head'Seaside.
T i l l am ookHead,
Rmi ve r to
to Tillarnook
N e ca n i cuRiver
Necanicum
L977'I982.
Beach,1977-1982.
C' latsop
clams, s,
from
Beach,
fr omClatsop
dugc1am
p er centof
spor t dug
of sport
Age
inn percent
g ecomposition
co mp o si ti oin
Table
T
a b ' t 2.
eZ . A
Year of
Harvest
c
0
Dug/
Clams
C l a msDug/
ri
Digger
Trip
D
i q q e rT
0
3
7.5
37.5
28,7
28.7
12.3
12,3
44.6
44.6
4
4.1
44.1
1
8.1
18.1
27.3
3
4
5+
6.6
6.6
3.8
3.8
2.9
2.9
3.5
3.5
1.3
1.3
0,7
0.7
7
5.3
75.3
32.0
32.0
51.4
51.4
90.7
80.7
3
3.5
33.5
4.0
4.0
1
1 .1
11.1
16.7
16.7
3.1
3.1
0.6
0.6
0.9
0.9
0.3
0.3
0.1
0.1
6.1
6.1
0.5
0.5
0.1
0,1
1.3
1.3
0.1
0.1
0.0
0.0
0.5
0,5
0.1
0.1
0.0
0.0
52.0
52.0
13.9
13.9
4.9
4.9
1.4
1.4
0.5
0.5
1
L5,7
15.7
61.8
61.8
2
.
rI-
--33-
a
o
Head
TillamookHead
of Tillamook
Beaches
South
S.outhof
Beaches
north of
beachnorth
of
Pt. beach
Pt.
Chapmiin
beaches. Chaprnn
from eleven
elevenbeaches.
Data
were obtained
lata rere
obtainedfrom
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
RunBeach
Beach
Cannon Beach,
Beach, Agate
Agate Beach
Beach north
north of
of l{orport,
Newport, and
and l{hiskey
Whiskey Run
Cannon
catch
Pertlnent catch
areas. Pertinent
best producing
the best
Bayrerre
south of Coos
were the
CoosBay
South
Producingareas.
3.
ln Table
Table3.
l l sted In
l s listed
data
b y area
a re aIs
d
a ta listed
l i ste d by
Table3.
3.
Table
Head.
Tillamook
f{ead.
southof
of Tillamook
beaches
south
frombeaches
data from
Razor
Razor clam
clam data
Area
Sampled
No. of
Diggers
6
6
Indian Beach*
Indian
Beach*
2
2
Crescent
CrescentBeach*
Beachr
Pt. Beach
Beach 44
Chapman
Pt.
Chapman
ll
11
Beach
Cannon
Cannon
Beach
P o i n t Beach*
B e a ch * 33
Silver
Si
l ve r Point
l1
FalconCove
Beach 11
CoveBeach
Falcon
5
Beach
Sand Beach
Short
Short Sand
:Agate
Beachy'
Agate Beach
/
(Newport)
(Newport)
Beach//
South
South Beach
(l{ewport)
(Newport)
No, of
Clams
Clams
Clams!
Digger
0
0
0
0
q
5
2.5
2
.5
10.0
10.0
0
0
0.7
0.7
40
40
0
0
?
2
7
7
46
46
Age Composition
0
1
2
4
3
0.0
40.0 6
40.0
60.0
6 2 . 5 25.0
25.0
1 0 . 0 62.5
10.0
0.6
0.6
-
-
-
-
-
-
6.0
6.0
0.7
0,7
3 0 . 1 16.4
16.4
2 7 . 4 30.1
1 1 . 0 27.4
11.0
9.6
9.6
92.0
9.2
9 , 2 92.0
1.3
1.3
4 2 . 8 28.6
28.6
1 4 . 3 42.8
14.3
1
4 . 3 14.3
4.2
1 1 . 5 4.2
9
. 9 71.4
7 1 , 4 11.5
9.9
74
74
510
510
6.9
6.9
3.0
3.0
Beach*
Mvers
Myers
Beach*
- ( Go Creek
'lCreek
d
B e a ch )
(Sold Beach)
68
68
289
289
4.3
4.3
10.7
1 9 . 8 10.7
6 5 . 3 19.8
1 . 1 66.3
1.1
** o
tri P
sa mp l i n g
one
trip
n esampling
2.5
?.5
100.0
100.0
Beach
t{hiskeyRun
RunBeach
Whiskey
(CoosBay)
Bay)
(Coos
/ biologist
data
/
b i o l o g i s tdata
5
2.1
2.1
5.5
5
.5
-tl-
a
0
FISHERY
C0(1ERCIAL FISHERY
CCI'!.IERCIAL
lo
with
diggerswith
209diggers
by 209
(165,000 clams)
clams) were
were sold
sold by
pounds(165,000
?6,5n pounds
A
reported26,528
A reported
Head.
TillamookHead'
of Tillarnook
south of
beaches south
from beaches
dug from
pounds
beingdug
the pounds
only
being
of the
0.4x of
only 0.4%
o
up 18.7% of the
The
T h efall
f a l l ffishery
i s h e r y pproduced
r o d u c e 4,960
d 4 , 9 6pounds
0 p o u nwhich
d s w hmade
ichm
adeupls.T%ofthe
'ln Table
older
of older
reflects
the
lack of
the lack
reflects
4
Table
Age
composition
In
4
conposition
Age
catch.
reported catch.
reported
5'
Table5.
in Table
is listed
listed in
data is
catch data
Theannual
annua'lcatch
catches,
clams In the
The
thecatches,
clamsin
o
4.
Table4.
Table
from
c'lamsfrom
dugclams
dug
commercially
of commercially
Age
In percent of
composition
Agecomposition.
!1_egrcent
1977-L98?'
Beach,1977-1982.
Clatsop Beach,
CiatsoP
Age
Tear
earo1
Harvest
o
a
C
o
(I
3
4
5
8.7
8.7
q0.0
60.0
12.0
12,0
10.6
10.6
7.L
7.1
70.8
70.8
10.7
10.7
12.6
12.6
3.4
3.4
1.7
61.9
61.9
26.1
26.1
7.1
7.1
4.0
4.0
0.9
0.9
90.9
90.9
7.5
7.5
0.7
0.7
0
0
0.2
0.2
99.8
89.8
8.8
8.8
0
0
0
0
0
0
1980
1980
1981
1981.
0.4
98.7
0.7
0.2
0
0
1982
1.6
57.8
25.8
9.4
4.3
1,1
1979
1979
o
2
1
.6
1.6
0.8
0.8
0
0
0
.7
0.7
1.4
1.4
t977
1977
t978
1978
o
0
1
r.7
revealed that an additional 18,662
However,
H o w e y ear , check
a c i r e of
c k o69f Sconinercial
g o r r m r c i adiggers
ldiggersrevealedthatanadditionallS'662
i nc r eas thus increas&a' ler c' thus
licenseddealers,
taken, but
but not
not sold
sold to
to licensed
b e e ntaken,
h a dbeen
pounds
p
o u n d (41.3%)
s(4 1 .3 X )had
total
connercialtotal
real conuercial
Thereal
wastage' The
includingwastage.
clams including
921000clams
to 322,000
catdr to
ing the
the catch
comThecornclams' The
40'000clams.
of 40,000
wastag of
inc'ludeswastage
whichincludes
clamswhich
?21000clams
harvest
was322,000
harvestwas
from
clamsfrom
razor clams
of razor
harvestof
total harvest
the total
of the
?6.8%of
took 26.8%
actually took
mercial fishery
fishery actually
rercial
pounds
total pounds
the total
for
of
of the
45'6%
for 45.6%
accounted
Area22 accounted
statistical Area
Beach. Statistical
Clatsop
clatsopBeach.
dug'
dug.
o
Table
Table 5.
5.
o
Annual Harvest
Harvest and
and Effort
Effort Data
Data for
Annual
for the
the Sport
sport and
and Commercial
conmercial Fishery.
Fishery.
g
Commercial
Sport
Number of
of_ iiunber
umber ffi
of Clams per
_Number
Y"3r
Year , . Diggers
Digo"r"
clu*rgFed
Clams
Landed Diggers
Diog"r.
Dioo"r
irio
Digger Trip
N:TTr
Number of
of
o
a
0
o
o
I
o
:0
I
S
c
o
Number of
oF
c1*" Dug
ouo
Clams
n""t"o"
Wastage
rotal
Total
Harvest
""r,r"gt
1955
1955
295
295
9
04,000
904,000
55,000
56,000
2I.6
21.6
1,212,000
1,212,000
2 9 5 , 0 0 0 2,411,000
295,000
2,411,000
1956
1956
2
53
253
4
90,000
490,000
6
01000
60,000
L7.7
17.7
I,06I,000
1,061,000
2 9 5 , 0 0 0 1,846,000
295,000
1,846,000
1
957
1957
193
193
3
36,000
336,000
77,ooo
77,000
21.4
21.4
r1,646,000
,G46,000
4r8,000 2
416,000
,398,000
2,398,000
1
958
1958
22L
221
3
85,000
386,000
89'000
89,000
1
8.9
18.9
r,G79,000
1,679,000
z218,000
l 8 , o 0 0 2,283,000
2,283,000
1959
1959
118
118
1
79,000
179,000
54,000
54,000
12.0
12.0
546,000
646,000
124,000
124,000
949,000
949,000
1960
1960
93
93
154,000
154,000
48,000
{gr000
L2.4
12.4
595,000
596,000
45,000
46,000
795,000
796,000
I95I
1961
5
588
8
01000
80,000
5
1,000
51,000
11.4
11.4
583,000
583,000
70,000
70,000
733,000
733,000
L962
1962
79
79
1
021000
102,000
56,000
56,000
15.9
15.9
8g2,Q0O 1
892,000
0 5 , 0 0 0 1,099,000
105,000
1,099,000
1
963
1963
77
77
1
07,000
107,000
5
5,000
55,000
13.0
13.0
713f000
713,000
1
964
1964
L25
125
1
25,000
125,000
7l'000
71,000
1
5.5
15.5
r,098,000
1,098,000
2 6 4 , 0 0 0 1,487,000
264,000
r,4B7,oo0
1
965
1965
2r3
213
3
99'000
399,000
75'000
76,000
14.9
14.9
I,134,000
1,134,000
1 8 G , 0 0 0 1,719,000
186,000
1,719,000
1
965
1966
217
2L7
2
82'000
282,000
78,000
78,000
13.o
13.6
1,052,000
1,052,000
4 3 4 , 0 0 0 1,768,000
434,000
1,768,000
1957
1967
297
297
494,000
494,000
74,000
74,000
19.9
19.9
L , 4 7 2 , O O O 195,000
1,472,000
1 9 5 , 0 0 0 2,161,000
2,16rr0o0
1
958
1968
340
340
3
611000
361,000
64,000
64,000
13.0
13.0
831,000
831,000
1 6 2 , 0 0 0 1,354,000
162,000
1,354,000
1
959
1969
185
185
111,000
111,000
59,000
59,000
14.4
14.4
8s1,000
851,000
1 5 5 , 0 0 0 1,117,000
155,000
I,117,000
1
970
1970
79
79
6 1' 0 0 0
61,000
5 6' 0 0 0
56,000
t12.8
2 .B
75r,000
751,000
1 2 5, 0 0 0
125,000
1
97L
1971
134
134
123,000
123,000
77,000
77,O0O
12.5
12.6
96g,000
9ff,000
213,000 1
213,000
,304,000
1,304,000
1972
lg72
766
7
4
9,000
49,000
6
91000
69,000
g,Z
9.2
6
3 6 , 0 0 0 139,000
636,000
139,000
B
Z4,0O0
824,000
89,000
89,000
2
6,000
76,000
9
.5
9.5
?
2 5, 0 0 0
725,000
1.59,000
159,000
973,000
9 7 3, 0 0 0
7.g
7.9
347,000
347,000
5,000
5,000
384,000
384,000
7O,O0O
70,000
890,000
890,000
90r,000
901,000
1
973
1973
l11].
Ll
1
974
1974
58
58
1975
1975
146
1
46
321000
32,000
1
?1,000
171,000
44,000
44,000
75,000
75,000
ro.s
10.5
785,000
785,000
1975
1976
39I
391
7171000
717,000
1l9ro0o
119,000
12.0
12.0
1,431,000
1,431,000
L977
1977
269
269
143'000
143,000
5
51,000
1,000
9.6
9.6
499,000
499,000
1978
1
978
253
253
205,000
205,000
72]OOO
72,000
11.8
11.8
8
4 9 , 0 0 0 137,000
849,000
1 3 7 , 0 0 0 1,191,000
I,I91,000
1979
1979
236
236
1801000
180,000
90,000
90,000
10.7
10.7
958,000
958,000
1
980
1980
I145
45
1
15,000
116,000
70,ooo
70,000
1
0.5
10.6
7 4 7 , 0 0 0 143,000
747,000
1 4 3 , 0 0 0 1,CO,0Q0
I,co6r000
1981
1981
91
91
1
29,000
128,000
30,000
30,000
6.2
6.2
]8?,000
J87,000
1982
1982
209
209
165'000
165,000
841000
84,000
9.r
9.
7
5 8 , 0 0 0 123,000
758,000
1 2 3 , 0 0 0 1,046,000
r,046,000
1 5 7 , 0 0 0 1,113,000
157,000
1,f13.000
6 3 , 0 0 0 2,211,000
63,000
2,2LL,OOO
33,000
33,000
675,000
675,000
63,000
6 3 , 0 0 0 1,201,000
1,201,000
49,000
49,000
364,000
364,000