State clam may be chosen

January 18, 2019 1:30 am
Siliqua patula, a clam native to the Northwest, could become a very special mollusk in Washington. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia Commons.
Siliqua patula, a clam native to the Northwest, could become a very special mollusk in Washington. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia Commons.

By Madeline Coats

WNPA Olympia News Bureau

Washington may become the first state to designate an official state clam, according to a law co-sponsored by Rep. Brian Blake, D-Aberdeen, and Rep. Jim Walsh, R-Aberdeen.

A public hearing on the bipartisan bill was held in the House Committee on State Government and Tribal Relations Jan. 16.

“I think it is common knowledge that the razor clam is the most important clam in the state,” Blake said at the hearing.

The bill finds that the Pacific razor clam, otherwise known as Siliqua patula, is an important part of the cultural identity of the state. The clam is abundant on coastal beaches within the Pacific Northwest.

According to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, approximately 2.3 million razor clams were harvested during the 2017-18 year. The department regulates clam-digging seasons and harvest limits.