2019 Regular Session

ByRepresentatives Blake and Walsh

Prefiled 12/17/18.Read first time 01/14/19.Referred to Committee on State Government & Tribal Relations.

AN ACT Relating to designating the Pacific razor clam as the state clam; adding a new section to chapter 1.20 RCW; and creating a new section.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 1.20 RCW to read as follows:

The Pacific razor clam, Siliqua patula, is hereby designated as the official clam of the state of Washington.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. The Pacific razor clam, Siliqua patula, is endemic to the Pacific Northwest, abundant on Washington's sandy coastal beaches, and an important part of the cultural identity of the state. Armed with clam shovels and tubes, Washingtonians in recent years have harvested as many as eight million clams annually.

The oblong shell of the Pacific razor clam is golden-hued, symmetrical, and especially handsome. The flesh is meaty and makes for premier table fare and a healthy, organic, wild food source. As such, digging for razor clams has been a family centric, all-ages, recreational activity, subsistence activity, and commercial endeavor for as long as people have been in Washington, beginning with the many native American tribes. Scientific, sustainable clam management has resulted in safe and bountiful harvests. As a result, razor clamming is a living tradition that attracts hundreds of thousands to the seashore every year, providing healthy exercise and outdoor experiences for Washingtonians while bolstering the local coastal economy.

The legislature therefore finds that the Pacific razor clam is an icon of the state worthy of the title of official clam of the state of Washington. Additionally, unlike other Northwest clam species, razor clams are very mobile, with a powerful foot, providing a sporting chase!