Razor clam closures and toxin status
WDFW postponed all Washington razor clam digs until further notice on Tuesday, October 6, 2026 because marine toxin (domoic acid) levels are rising above the Department of Health limit. No beach is open for digging. New dates will be announced when toxin tests allow, and DigTide will alert you the moment that happens.
| Beach | Dept. of Health | WDFW | Can you dig? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Copalis Beach | No closure zone | Postponed | Postponed |
| Mocrocks | No closure zone | Postponed | Postponed |
| Long Beach | No closure zone | Postponed | Postponed |
| Twin Harbors | No closure zone | Postponed | Postponed |
| Kalaloch | Closed | Postponed | Closed |
Updated Oct 8, 12:43 AM PT from the Department of Health shellfish safety map and WDFW.
What closes a beach
Domoic acid. A natural toxin made by certain marine algae. It builds up in razor clams and can cause amnesic shellfish poisoning in people. The Department of Health's action level for razor clams is 20 parts per million; above it, the beach closes, and WDFW will not schedule digs until two tests seven to ten days apart come back under the limit.
Paralytic shellfish poison and diarrhetic shellfish poison. Other algal toxins the Department of Health monitors across all shellfish. They close beaches less often for razor clams but the rule is the same: closed means do not harvest.
WDFW postponements. When tests are trending toward the limit, WDFW can postpone a whole series before the Department of Health draws a closure zone. That is what a "postponed" status means on this site.
Cooking does not help
Domoic acid is not destroyed by cooking, freezing or cleaning. Clams dug from a closed beach are unsafe no matter how they are prepared, and digging on a closed beach is also a citation.
Questions
Is it safe to eat razor clams right now?
WDFW postponed all Washington razor clam digs until further notice on Tuesday, October 6, 2026 because marine toxin (domoic acid) levels are rising above the Department of Health limit. No beach is open for digging. New dates will be announced when toxin tests allow, and DigTide will alert you the moment that happens. Clams dug on an approved date from an open beach have passed two rounds of toxin tests and are safe to eat.
How do I know when a beach reopens?
WDFW announces reopenings as news releases on its razor clam page, usually with the next approved dig dates. This site updates within the hour, and the DigTide app pushes a free alert to anyone watching the beach.
Closure alerts, free for everyone.
Watch a beach in DigTide and you hear about a toxin closure or a reopening the moment it happens.