Shellfish Safety Information

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Eating contaminated shellfish or seaweed can cause serious illness or death. The only way to be safe is to "Know Before You Dig". Always check for current beach closures and advisories related to biotoxins, pollution, or other public health concerns on the same day you plan to harvest. Visit the Washington State Department of Health shellfish safety page to use the clickable map, call 360-236-3330, or contact your local county health department. For biotoxin information only, call the toll-free Biotoxin Hotline at 1-800-562-5632. In addition, some beaches may be posted with warning signs — look for signs as you access the beach.

Always check both the current wdfw season and the doh health closure status before harvesting any public beach.

Biotoxin Closures

Don't harvest in areas with marine biotoxins, also known as "Red Tide". You could get sick or die.

Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP) & Amnesic Shellfish Poisoning (ASP) & Diarrhetic Shellfish Poisoning (DSP):

Can make you sick or cause death
Can't be destroyed by cooking or freezing
Are produced by algae and do not always turn the water red
Can remain in butter and varnish clams longer than in other shellfish species

Pollution Closures

Don't harvest in areas that are polluted. You could get sick.

Pollution can come from many sources like sewage drain pipes, failing septic systems, farm practices, boats, and pet waste. Some closures and advisories are listed in the table below. For current beach status and shellfish harvesting advisories, visit the Washington State Department of Health shellfish safety page.

Vibrio Warnings

Be aware of Vibrio Warnings. You could get sick.

Vibrio Bacteria:

Cook all shellfish thoroughly to kill bacteria and to avoid getting sick
Highest risk from May-September, especially in Puget Sound and Hood Canal
Are naturally occurring bacteria that can multiply rapidly in warm conditions

Help Keep Our Waters Safe and Clean

Human and pet waste can make people sick and cause harvest closures. Please do your part to protect our waterways and shellfish beaches:

Use public toilets. Scoop, bag and trash human waste if no facilities are available.
Scoop, bag, and trash your pet's waste.
Pump, don’t dump! Help protect Washington’s waterways by using designated pumpout stations to dispose of boat sewage. Visit the Pumpout Washington website for locations and information.

The 3Cs of Safe Shellfish Harvest

Check For:

For current health closures and advisories related to biotoxins, pollution, or Vibrio, visit the Washington State Department of Health shellfish safety page.
For up-to-date information on harvesting closures, including seasons and limits, visit the WDFW shellfish beaches page.
Signs on the beach: Follow posted warnings and closures, and respect private property
Water color does not indicate shellfish safety.

Chill Shellfish – It’s Important!

Harvest shellfish on the outgoing tide
Put them on ice as soon as possible to prevent bacterial growth
Rinse your catch in salt (not fresh) water before leaving the beach, quickly cool your catch on ice or in a refrigerator, and cook as soon as possible.

Cook Shellfish in Summer

Vibrio illnesses occur more frequently during summer (or warm) months
Cook shellfish to 145° for at least 15 seconds to kill Vibrio bacteria
Don’t rinse cooked shellfish (including crab) with seawater—you could re-contaminate your shellfish.
Cooking, rinsing, or freezing shellfish does not destroy biotoxins or all pollutants.
Crab can concentrate biotoxins and pollutants in their internal organs (crab butter). Clean crab before cooking. Eat only the meat. Some species of crab/shrimp have consumption recommendations depending on catch location. For details on fish consumption advisories and health guidelines, visit the Washington State Department of Health fish consumption page.

If you have any concerns about allergies, are taking antacids or other medications, or have a weakened immune system (such as cancer, liver disease, or HIV), ask your doctor before eating shellfish. You may be at greater risk for illness. Shellfish are great and healthy food. Avoid illness — follow the 3 C’s. If you believe you became ill from eating shellfish, contact your local health department using the food safety contact list provided by the Washington State Department of Health.

Never Relocate Shells or Shellfish Without a Permit From WDFW!

Like humans and other animals, shellfish can get sick. It is illegal to move shells and shellfish from beach to beach or between state waters without a transfer permit. When you move animals and shells from one area to another, you can accidentally introduce or spread harmful pests and diseases. These movements include unpermitted activities like:

Storing shellfish harvested from other areas or bought from the store on a beach or off a dock.
Dumping empty oyster shells back on beaches.
Transferring shellfish to enhance your beach.
Releasing any aquatic animals into state waters for any reason.

Help safeguard Washington’s shellfish resources. For more information and to obtain shellfish transfer permits, visit the Washington Invasive Species Council’s shellfish protection page.

Year-Round Closures — Clams, Oysters, and Mussels
Closures may be subject to change. Always check the current WDFW shellfish season information and the DOH water quality status on the same day you plan to harvest to ensure safe and legal shellfish gathering.
Beach Name	County
Alki Park	King
Alki Point	King
Bay Center Oyster Reserve (Willapa Harbor reserves)	Pacific
Bay View State Park	Skagit
Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge	Thurston
Blaine Marine Park (formerly Semiahmoo)	Whatcom
Blake Island State Park Marina	Kitsap
Blowers Bluff North	Island
Brown's Point Lighthouse	Pierce
Budd Inlet, south of Burfoot County Park	Thurston
Cama Beach State Park	Island
Camano Island State Park	Island
Chuckanut Bay	Whatcom
Coupeville	Island
Cultus Bay	Island
Dash Point County Park	Pierce
Dave Mackie County Park	Island
Deception Pass State Park, Rosario Beach tidepools only.	Island
Des Moines City Park	King
Discovery Park	King
DNR-142	Island
DNR-144 (Sleeper)	Island
Dockton County Park	King
Dosewallips State Park South (defined by posts on the beach)	Jefferson
East San de Fuca	Island
Eld Inlet Oyster Reserve (Mud Bay reserves)	Thurston
Evergreen Rotary Park (Port Washington Narrows)	Kitsap
Fay Bainbridge Park	Kitsap
Fudge Point State Park	Mason
Gertrude Island	Pierce
Golden Gardens	King
Graveyard Spit (Dungeness Bay)	Clallam
Guillemot Cove Nature Preserve	Kitsap
Guss Island (formerly Garrison Bay)	San Juan
Howarth Park/Darlington Beach	Snohomish
Jacoby (Shorecrest) County Park	Mason
Joemma Beach State Park	Pierce
Kayak Point County Park	Snohomish
Kitsap Memorial State Park	Kitsap
Lent Landing (Port Washington Narrows)	Kitsap
Lincoln Park	King
Lions Park (Bremerton)	Kitsap
Lofall	Kitsap
Long Island Slough Oyster Reserve (Willapa Harbor reserves)	Pacific
Long Point West	Island
Lower Roto Vista Park	Kitsap
Maple Grove County Park	Island
March Point Recreation Area	Skagit
McNeil Island	Pierce
Meadowdale County Park	Snohomish
Mee-Kwa-Mooks Park	King
Monroe Landing	Island
Mukilteo	Snohomish
Nahcotta Tidelands (closed for clams year-round, oysters open year-round)	Pacific
Nemah Oyster Reserves (Willapa Harbor reserves)	Pacific
North Beach County Park	Jefferson
Oak Bay County Park	Jefferson
Oak Harbor	Island
Oak Harbor Beach Park	Island
Oak Harbor City Park	Island
Oak Harbor (north of WINAS-Maylor)	Island
Old Mill County Park (Silverdale)	Kitsap
Olympia Shoal	Thurston
Pat Carey Vista Park	Kitsap
Picnic Point County Park	Snohomish
Pitship Point	Clallam
Pitt Island	Pierce
Pleasant Harbor State Park	Jefferson
Pleasant Harbor WDFW Boat Launch	Jefferson
Point Defiance	Pierce
Port Angeles Harbor	Clallam
Port Gardner	Snohomish
Post Point	Whatcom
Rat Island (south of Fort Flagler State Park)	Jefferson
Retsil	Kitsap
Richmond Beach Saltwater Park	King
Salt Creek Recreation Area (DNR-419)	Clallam
Saltair Beach (Kingston Ferry Terminal)	Kitsap
Saltwater State Park	King
Samish Bay (southwest portion)	Skagit
Scenic Beach State Park	Kitsap
Seahurst County Park	King
Semiahmoo County Park	Whatcom
Semiahmoo Marina	Whatcom
Silverdale Waterfront Park	Kitsap
Sinclair Inlet	Kitsap
Skagit Wildlife Area	Skagit
South Carkeek Park	King
Southworth	King
Squaxin Park (Priest Point County Park)	Thurston
Stuart Island State Park - Reid Harbor (South Beach)	San Juan
Taylor Bay	Pierce
Totten Inlet Oyster Reserve (Oyster Bay reserves)	Thurston
Walker County Park	Mason
West Pass Access	Snohomish
Willapa River Oyster Reserve (Willapa Harbor reserves)	Pacific
Woodard Bay Natural Resource Conservation Area	Thurston

Harvest Advisories — Clams, Oysters, and Mussels
The Department of Health (DOH) has harvest advisories or closures on the following beaches. An advisory is placed on a beach that MAY be subject to periodic contamination from pollution sources or MAY intersect polluted areas. Before harvesting shellfish check the Department of Health's website doh.wa.gov/shellfishsafety, call (360) 236-3330, or contact the local county health department. For beach-specific details, shellfish harvest rules, and seasonal updates, visit the WDFW shellfish beaches page.
Beach Name	County
Anna Smith Children's Park	Kitsap
Blake Island (avoid marina and mooring buoys)	Kitsap
Bottle Beach	Grays Harbor
Brownsville	Kitsap
Chimacum Creek Tidelands (Irondale Beach Park)	Jefferson
Copalis Beach (Oyhut Beach Approach)	Grays Harbor
Dash Point State Park	King
Duckabush	Jefferson
East San de Fuca Boat Ramp	Island
Freeland County Park	Island
Inspiration Point Natural Area	King
Jarrell Cove	Mason
Larrabee State Park (north end)	Whatcom
Liberty Bay	Kitsap
Madrona (Penn Cove)	Island
Mystery Bay State Park	Jefferson
Port Gamble Heritage Park (consumption advisory)	Kitsap
San de Fuca	Island
Seabold	Kitsap
Silverdale Shoal - Clam Island	Kitsap
South Lilliwaup	Mason
Twanoh State Park	Mason
West Dougall Point	Mason
West Penn/Twin Lagoons	Island
WINAS-Maylor Pt East (inside Crescent Harbor)	Island
WINAS-Maylor Pt West (inside Oak Harbor)	Island

Washington State Department of Health — dedicated to protecting and improving the health and safety of Washington residents through education, prevention, and public health services.