With increases in recreational fishing during the pandemic, West Marin has witnessed an increase in clamming, and with this, the use of hydraulic clamming pumps. Hydraulic clamming pumps enable clammers to collect a full day's worth of clams at varying tide levels in just a few minutes and leave behind significant habitat damage.
Consequently, as part of our work to ensure environmentally responsible fisheries, we successfully advocated with partners for an emergency statewide ban of hydraulic pumps for harvesting clams, sand crabs, and shrimp.
This spring, we were thrilled when the Fish and Game Commission applied a permanent rule to fully ban the use of these tools for harvesting, and that our Legal and Policy intern, Rachel Clyde, was able to speak on behalf of EAC at the Fish and Game Commission meetings.
Now that the ban is in effect, not everyone is aware of the rule change.
You can help if you see someone using a hydraulic clamming pump:
Please alert the California Fish and Wildlife Department (CDFW) by:
calling 1-888-334-CalTip or report online.
This way CDFW can take advantage of all opportunities to educate the public and enforce the new clamming rules, especially in closed areas, like Bolinas Lagoon or in State Marine Reserves.
Let’s all work together to make sure we keep recreational clamming and fishing sustainable.
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