Thursday, October 1, 2026
Low daytime tides have returned and that means opportunities for recreational clam, mussel and oyster gathering on open or soon to be opening beaches in the state of Washington.
With hundreds of options available to the public, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) is encouraging shellfish harvesters to follow the rules and visit less popular beaches as a means to spread out harvest pressure.
Public shellfishing beaches on Puget Sound, Hood Canal, Willapa Bay and other areas can be found by clicking here, and then scrolling to the bottom of the web page.
“From (easy access) sites to those you can reach by boat or on foot, there’s an adventure for everyone,” said WDFW Puget Sound Shellfish Policy Coordinator Chris Eardley in a statement that accompanied an announcement about the harvesting season on March 23.
“Seeking (less visited) beaches, avoiding obviously busy sites, having a backup plan, and visiting on less popular weekdays all help reduce impacts to Washington’s valuable shellfish beaches.”
Some new rules have also been adopted for the 2026 season in order to conserve shellfish populations, address harvest level increases and promote sustainability.
Some public beaches have longer, shorter or shifted seasons. The cockle minimum harvest size is 2.5 inches, while the geoduck daily limit is one. The idea is to promote sustainability. The rules apply to all state waters, including non-razor clam harvest on coastal beaches.
The WDFW is also encouraging harvesters to correctly identify species, adhere to daily limits, leave oyster shells on the beach, and refill dig holes to help prevent killing clams and damaging habitat. A valid shellfish and seaweed or combination fishing license is also required.
“WDFW staff work incredibly hard to monitor shellfish populations, track harvest, seed beaches, educate harvesters on best practices and rules, and provide as much sustainable opportunity as possible,” Eardley said.
“Washington’s population is growing, more people are discovering the joys of shellfish harvesting, and environmental factors like climate effects are influencing shellfish numbers. Facing these challenges, we ask for help conserving these natural resources for shellfish gatherers to enjoy for years to come.”
For more information about fishing and shellfishing, click here.
2 comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here
chrispc2u
Since oyster harvesting is not regulated like razor clamming it would have been helpful if this article directed you the beaches that aren’t being over harvested to balance it out. Instead, it’s fallen short of having a beneficial impact.
Wednesday, March 25 Report this
DudeGuyOly
There is a link right at the end directing you straight to the source for the Department of Fish and Wildlife's 'Places to harvest clams, mussels & oysters' which also has info on the health of each area. Your trolling has fallen short of having a beneficial impact.
Thursday, March 26 Report this