Intertidal Clam Fishery - Pacific Region

The most common form of harvest for clams is hand digging or picking. The common tool is an ordinary short-tined garden rake. Species dug consist of razor clams, butter clams, littleneck clams, Manila clams and varnish clams. Butter clams lay lower under the surface and a garden-type, long-handled potato fork tool is used to harvest the species. Razor clams are dug individually with a short-handled, thin bladed shovel. Harvesters are encouraged to fill in holes to reduce predation on exposed juvenile clams.

Harvesting clams that are undersized is prohibited. The size limit for clams must be measured in a straight line through the greatest breadth of the shell, littlenecks: 38 mm, butter 63 mm, Manila: 38 mm and razor: 90 mm. There is no size limit in the recreational fishery.

With the exception of certain management areas, many areas are closed due to a high risk of PSP and ASP, and the absence of biotoxin monitoring and water quality surveys in those areas. Additional closures may be invoked in other areas when elevated levels of biotoxins are detected.

Immediately prior to harvesting clams and other bivalves, check to ensure that the area where you intend to harvest is open. For more information on Shellfish closures, please visit the Shellfish Contamination page.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency, and Environment Canada, participate in programs to assess and re-evaluate biotoxins and sanitary conditions (contamination) in shellfish growing waters.

Integrated Fisheries Management Plans

• Clam Integrated Fisheries Management Plan

Overview of the Fishery

• Species Biology
• Clam Consultations - Fisheries Management Consultations and the Intertidal Clam Sectoral (advisory) Committee and Research Subcommittee
• Research documents and stock status reports - Scientific papers and short resource status papers, available through the Department's Canadian Science Advisory Secretariat (CSAS) site

Back row - 3 Manila clams to show patterns compared to the Native littleneck on the right Front row - 2 Manila clams to show the variation of colours inside the shells compared to the Native littleneck on right.

Contacts

Lead Resource Manager, Intertidal Clams:

David Fogtmann
A/ Shellfish Manager
Comox, BC
250-339-3799

Departmental contacts for more information (click name to email):

Regional Shellfish Co-ordinator	Vancouver	Jeff Johansen	604-666-3869
Resource Management Biologist	North Coast	Sandra Davies	250-627-3007
Resource Manager	South Coast	Byron Koke	250-339-2809
Resource Manager	South Coast	David Fogtmann	250-339-3799
Science	Nanaimo	Graham Gillespie	250-756-7215