Razor clam digging resumes Thursday at Long Beach

LONG BEACH — Seven nights of razor clam digging on the Long Beach Peninsula begins Thursday.

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife approved the opening on Friday after marine toxin tests indicated the clams are safe to eat.

“Diggers can fill their buckets right up until the holiday,” said Dan Ayres, coastal shellfish manager.

Low tides will be 0.0 feet at 5:06 p.m. Thursday, -0.5 feet at 5:45 p.m. Friday, -0.8 feet at 6:24 p.m. Nov. 22, -1.0 feet at 7:05 p.m Nov. 23, -1.1 feet at 7:47 p.m. Nov. 24, -0.9 feet at 8:32 p.m. Nov. 25 and -0.5 feet at 9:19 p.m Nov. 26.

The best digging normally is one to two hours before low tide.

Diggers age 15 and older must have a 2014-15 license to harvest razor clams. Licenses range from a three-day razor clam license costing $8.60 to an annual combination fishing license at $54.25

The department is proposing another dig from Dec. 3 through 9 if the marine toxin tests are favorable.

Diggers must keep the first 15 clams dug. Each digger’s clams must be in a separate container.