05/30/2026
With state clam, mussel, and oyster seasons underway, WDFW reminds recreational shellfish gatherers about new rules in place to conserve shellfish populations and address increases in harvest effort.
• Some public beaches have longer, shorter, or shifted seasons as part of the state's annual season-setting process.
• The cockle minimum harvest size is 2 1/2 inches. This allows more cockles to reach reproductive age, supporting long-term sustainability.
• The geoduck daily limit is one. This supports species resilience, especially in vulnerable intertidal zone populations, as geoduck beds are slow to recover.
With so many options, we also encourage shellfish gatherers to visit less popular public beaches to spread out harvest pressure, which has increased in recent years. Use the “Find a beach” search tool at the bottom of our clam, mussel, and oyster harvest webpage: wdfw.wa.gov/places-to-go/shellfish-beaches.
Be sure to correctly identify species, adhere to daily limits, leave oyster shells on the beach where you collected them, and refill holes to help prevent damaging habitat and killing clams. Avoid parking unsafely or illegally, such as along busy roadways.
Check the above webpage for more information, including bivalve shellfish identification, the 2026 Puget Sound season guide and best tides, and the Recreational Shellfish Program, Washington State Department of Health’s shellfish safety map.
Photo by WDFW of three cockle clams on a beach.
