State approves additional North Beach clam digs

Copalis will have evening digs for five consecutive days, Mocrocks three

Razor clam diggers can look forward to a five-day opening beginning Jan. 27 at Copalis beach, overlapping with three days of digging at Mocrocks.

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife approved the opening on evening tides at those two beaches after marine toxin tests confirmed the clams on the beaches are safe to eat.

Diggers should be aware that only Copalis beach is open the first two days of the dig, said Dan Ayres, coastal shellfish manager for Fish and Wildlife.

The effective dates are from 12:01 p.m. Friday, Jan. 27 through 11:59 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 31. Copalis Beach will be open the first two days, with a minus 0.5 foot tide at 6:26 p.m. Friday and a minus 0.6 tide at 7:01 p.m. Saturday. The next three days, both Copalis and Mocrocks beaches will be open, with a Sunday minus 0.5 foot tide at 7:37 p.m., a Monday 8:13 p.m. minus 0.3 foot tide and a Tuesday 8:50 p.m. 0.2 foot tide.

Copalis Beach extends from the Grays Harbor north jetty to the Copalis River, and includes the Ocean Shores, Oyhut, Ocean City and Copalis areas. Mocrocks Beach extends from the Copalis River to the southern boundary of the Quinault Reservation near the Moclips River, including Iron Springs, Roosevelt Beach, Pacific Beach and Moclips.