Shellfish Safety Questioned By Flawed Reporting
My fellow clam diggers, I will get straight to the point. There is absolute no reason for clam diggers to accept the posting of inaccurate reports on the Shellfish Hotline or the ODFW Recreational Report’s websites.
The postings on both the Shellfish Hotline and on the Recreational Reports during the last series of low tides were so misleading and confusing we emailed the Shellfish Program Manager, Leslee Parr and telephoned the Department of Agriculture requesting clarification. Sadly none was forthcoming. So we emailed ODFW Director Elicker for clarification, again our request was ignored.
The conflicting statements remain. The Department of Agriculture Hotline states that the harvest of razor clams is closed from Bandon to Cascade Head and the ODFW Recreational report for the Southwest Zone states that the harvest of razor clams is closed from Bandon to Tillamook Head. The Shellfish Hotline website also states that Domoic acid results are above the alert level from Bandon north to Tillamook Head.
The Department of Agriculture’s website states, “The Oregon Department of Agriculture’s shellfish safety hotline is toll free and provides the most current information regarding shellfish safety closures. The ODA Web pages may not be updated as quickly as the shellfish safety hotline. Please call the shellfish safety hotline before harvesting.” How do you inspire confidence in the program with statements like this? If you cannot trust the information on the ODA and ODFW websites then why post the information at all.
ODFW does not fair any better when it comes to getting it right. This is not the first time these agencies have failed the clam digging public. In the past the ODA and ODFW actually declared shellfish safe for consumption when it was not. .
Loss of recreational opportunity is the best case scenario for the posting of misleading statements while illness or loss of life represents the alternative. We are requesting the ODA and ODFW eliminate the posting of shellfish closures on their websites if they can not assure shellfish harvesters of the accuracy of their reports.
As always good digging, Bill For the CDAO
The Mail Tribune newspaper is the latest victim to the misleading and confusing statements posted on the ODFW and ODA websites.
The Mail Tribunes news release states, “Razor clam digging is closed from Bandon north to Tillamook Head due to elevated levels of domoic acid. For more information and updated closures, call the shellfish hotline at 1-800-448-2474. Beaches from Tillamook Head north to Cascade Head are open for razor clams, but Clatsop beaches are closed.”
I called the Shellfish Hotline last night but the message phone must have been home with the family of other message phones because there was no answer. Bill the Clam Man.
Those of you who have taken our clam digging classes or purchased my book know the value the clam digging community places in the Shellfish Hotline.
It is with confidence and pleasure that we announce that ODFW is going to undertake corrective measures to ensure the public’s confidence in the accuracy and safety of the Shellfish Hotline.
As always good digging, Bill