Wildlife officials have seized over 1,300 illicit clams in Pismo Beach since May
By Kimberly Cruz
Click here for updates on this story
PISMO BEACH, California (KSBY) — The Pismo Clam nearly vanished from its namesake beach.
While it’s been making a comeback and in big numbers over the past few years, many of the clams aren’t the legal size for clamming.
It’s no surprise that Pismo Beach is also known as the clam capital of the world, claiming its title back in 1947.
Bakersfield resident Ray Herda remembers coming to the beach with his children to clam like it was yesterday.
“You could find them and of course, it had to be four and a half inches and they’re hard to find. My kids loved to dig in the sand,” said Herda.
The Pismo Clam saw a decrease in population in years past.
“In 2016 is when we first saw Pismo Clams resurface here locally in Pismo Beach,” said Matt Gil, California Department Fish and Wildlife patrol lieutenant.
The Pismo Clam population has been increasing since 2016, as well as its size.
“We’re seeing a lot of legal-size clams this year, which is fun for a lot of new people that want to get out there and try to get some Pismo Clams to eat. But we are also seeing a lot more poaching activity with that,” added Gil.
Gil says it’s a recurring problem they see far too often.
Five citations were issued for undersized clams and for individuals taking amounts that were over the limit.
Here are the regulations clammers need to follow:
The clam must be 4.5 inches or bigger The limit is 10 Anyone older than 16 years of age must have a valid fishing license No clamming at night
Gil says while the number of clams seized this year is lower compared to years past, he adds they haven’t seen the busy summer months yet. Gil says a total of 657 clams were seized this past Saturday and only two of those were of legal size. Through May of this year, wildlife officers had seized 1,326 undersized Pismo Clams.
“Typically, in San Luis Obispo County, if you are over by one clam, it’s a per-clam violation. So if you have 200 clams you’re 190 over, that’s 190 times that. You’re going to get a fine for each one of those clams so they can add up to be very costly,” explained Gil.
It’s all in an effort to keep the population growing for future generations to see and experience.
“I’m the kind of person, you know, being a teacher. I like to conserve water. I like to conserve electricity and then conserve wildlife. Yes, [it’s] very important,” said Kirin Kamboj, visiting Pismo Beach.
Wildlife officials are trying to continue to educate the public about the regulations. They say since 2016 they have increased signage and public outreach quite a bit by putting signs up on the pier and the entrance to the beach.
If you see something, say something.
California Department of Fish and Wildlife is urging the community to call (888) 334-2258 if they suspect someone has violated clam limits.
Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.
