By The Associated Press
OLYMPIA — State health officials have warned that anyone who took part in the razor clam dig Thursday on coastal beaches should destroy all clams they harvested due to high levels of domoic acid.
The state Department of Health issued an advisory Friday afternoon after discovering elevated levels of domoic acid from Long Beach north to Kalaloch.
As a result, recreational and commercial razor clam digs scheduled for this weekend have been canceled by the state Department of Fish and Wildlife.
As a precaution, all razor clams commercially harvested are being recalled, and the department is advising any sport diggers to destroy them.
Domoic acid is a natural toxin produced by certain types of marine algae, and it can be harmful or even fatal to humans if consumed in sufficient quantities.
“Warm ocean water temperatures have created ideal conditions for the algae that produce domoic acid,” said Dan Ayres, coastal shellfish manager, in a news release.
Since 1991, when the toxin was first detected on the Pacific coast, outbreaks of domoic acid have prompted the cancellation of three entire razor clam seasons in Washington — the last one in 2002-03.
Kalaloch Beach, jointly managed by the department and Olympic National Park, also was closed for much of the 2004 season due to high toxin levels.
In 2005, the state agency closed Long Beach for two days due to elevated toxin levels.
