LONG BEACH, Wash. — Two people are facing criminal charges – accused of trying to smuggle extra razor clams in their waders at Long Beach. The limit is 15.
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) officers were patrolling the grand finale of the recreational clam digs when one noticed some fishy behavior.
The officer said they watched the pair dig proficiently – and fill someone else’s empty bag full of clams.
“It became obvious that a woman was hiding extra clams inside her waders,” the department shared.
The officer noted that the two harvesters were ‘very careful’ not to walk back up the beach with more than the allotted 15 clams in their clam bags.
“They were given ample opportunities to submit any other razor clams for inspection but thought they had gotten away with it,” the department said. “Eventually, the woman came clean and removed 23 extra razor clams from the inside of her waders.”
The couple had harvested 53 razor clams, with an unknown amount in another clam bag that was never recovered, according to WDFW.
These two individuals are facing criminal charges of first-degree overlimit, failing to submit catch for inspection, digging for another, and providing false information. The razor clams were seized and preserved for evidence.