Olympic National Park

OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK — Officials have closed the Kalaloch Beach razor clam fishery for the rest of the harvest season to protect the health of the razor clam population.

This season’s harvest data, collected from October 2010 through February 2011, suggested that the razor clam population has suffered a decline, possibly because of the presence of pathogen or from removal by storm surges, a park spokesman said.

Population level assessments for razor clam are conducted annually during the summer months. During the harvest season, coastal ecologists obtain population estimates by monitoring diggers’ Catch Per Unit Levels, or CPUE (see accompanying chart).

Harvesters may retain 15 razor clams per dig date. Average CPUE has dropped dramatically since the beginning of the calendar year, said Steve Fradkin, the park’s coastal ecologist.

This season’s diminishing harvest is similar to the pattern observed in 2006-2007, Fradkin said.

The emergency regulation change applies only to Kalaloch Beach. Razor clam harvesting for all other coastal waters of the intertidal zone in Olympic National Park is always closed.