Toxin level means no clamming on Oregon's coast

NEWPORT, Ore. — The entire Oregon Coast is closed to clamming.

A naturally occurring toxin has exceeded safe limits in razor clams, prompting state agriculture officials to close north-coast beaches last Tuesday, followed by the closure of central-coast beaches on Thursday. South-coast beaches already had been shut down.

The toxin, domoic acid, is produced by algae and is stored by razor clams in their fat. Eating contaminated shellfish can cause minor illness within minutes, with symptoms including vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramps and headache. Severe cases can result in memory problems and even death.

All beaches were closed to clamming in October 2002, and it took a year before some finally reopened. Other beaches never did.

This time, it's anyone's guess when clam digging will resume. Ninety-five percent of clamming in Oregon occurs on north-coast beaches.

"At these levels, I'd say we're done for the summer," said Matt Hunter, shellfish biologist with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife in Astoria.

For people who flocked to Clatsop Beach, an 18-mile stretch from Seaside to Astoria, it was a disappointing end to what had looked like a very promising spring clam dig.

At Bud's Campground in Gearhart, people were being turned away before the clam closure was announced. Afterward, many campers packed up and went home.

"The main disappointment was that people had made plans and came all the way down here," said campground owner Bill Roady.

Biologists at the state Department of Agriculture barely saw it coming themselves, spokeswoman Deb Cannon said.

"In Clatsop, the levels of domoic acid went from 11.5 [parts per million] to 57 and 68 in three days, which is a huge jump," Cannon said. Levels of more than 20 parts per million are considered unsafe and trigger the closures.

Harvesting of other types of shellfish, such as cockles, horseneck clams and mussels, is still open in bay areas, Cannon said.