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Off-roaders restricted because of clams at the Oceano Dunes

December 30, 2022

By JOSH FRIEDMAN

Officials have issued an advisory warning off-road vehicle drivers at the Oceano Dunes to beware of a rising clam population and to avoid the shellfish surfacing near the shoreline. [KSBY]

In recent years, the Pismo Clam population has rebounded. Clams that are usually buried beneath the sand at the shoreline started coming to the surface in 2021, said Stephanie Little, senior environmental scientist at the Oceano Dunes District. In recent weeks, clams started coming to the surface again, prompting the advisory.

The advisory asks off-roaders at the Oceano Dunes to only drive on dry sand. Off-roaders are also instructed to avoid the immediate shoreline and stay closer to the sand dunes.

Officials are urging drivers to use either all-wheel or four-wheel drives.


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Years and years ago as a kid we would go all the time and there was always plenty of clams but the people from valley would come over and get 10 times their limit then yrs later otter was given free pass and away went our clams and abalone combination of people and politics did both in


9

Oh stop! For 100 years, people drove cars, trucks, wagons, and rode horses on the beach from the cliffs to Pt. Sal, while digging up clams and making Pismo the “Clam Capitol Of The World”. The clams were fine then, they are fine now.


The clams are coming back, because the shoreline has almost re-assumed the broad, flat profile it had before the ’83 and ’95 storms washed out the sand. The shallow water doesn’t support the ravenous Sea Otter, so they can no longer strip the sea bed of juvenile clams, and the less turbulent surf no longer removes the sand from above their holes, making their survival easier and longer lived.


8

I don’t understand the minus numbers to your valid factual claim MessKit. Except that I suppose there are those who even with factual info will not admit to truth?

Well stated MK.


4

Can you harvest pizmo clams?


0

Only if they are of legal size, by legal method of take, and a limit of 10 in possession, along with a valid fishing license.


19

Or relocate clams to a different area, since 95% of the dunes are vehicle free, even if it has to be shoreline, there is plenty of vehicle free shoreline


-8

As a kid in the 1960’s we used to get them, Pismo Clams, on the beach just north of the rock and also out on the sand spit.


It’s been years since I’ve heard of anyone”clamming” so your question is a good one. Did they make enough of a comeback to make it a viable sport fishery?


5

I don’t think recreational clamming is legal anymore in Morro Bay. But the spit was “virgin” territory for those who had the means to get over there, or the legs to walk down from Los Osos!


2