August 26, 2024 — With practiced hands wrapped around a shovel, Cleve Jackson drives into the sand, digging down just enough to find a fresh razor clam. Strength, skill and generational knowledge keep this cherished tradition alive.
“Razor clamming feeds us, it nourishes us,” said Jackson, a policy spokesperson for Quinault Indian Nation’s Fisheries. “It’s not only for our health but it’s our way of life, spiritually.”
That way of life was disrupted in June when shellfish poisoning made at least 31 people ill in Oregon. Consequently, recreational shellfish harvesting was closed in Oregon and Washington. The FDA released warnings in both states.
“Our diggers were scared,” Jackson said. “We were getting calls left and right saying, ‘Are our clams OK?’ ”
With coastal tribes heavily affected by harvesting closures, a Forks-based University of Washington program is partnering with Washington tribes to bolster responses to crises and improve monitoring methods. The collaboration involves hands-on training and research to develop tests that provide advance warning of harmful toxins.