All eastside Cook Inlet beaches will remain closed to personal use and sport clamming in 2019 since any razor clam harvest will likely delay recovery of the population. These closures prohibit the taking of any clam species from the mouth of the Kenai River to the southernmost tip of the Homer Spit. The closure is effective at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday, January 1, 2019 and will be in effect for the remainder of the year. 

From 2009-2015, eastside Cook Inlet razor clams experienced poor recruitment of juvenile sized razor clams and a high natural mortality rate of mature sized razor clams, which both resulted in a significant decline in abundance leading to the closure of the fishery.

Causes of the decline in razor clam abundance remains unknown but may include a combination of heavy surf, habitat changes, environmental stressors and predation. Eastside razor clam populations are beginning to rebuild, but uncertainties remain if it will continue into 2019. Razor clam abundance surveys are scheduled for the spring of 2019 on Ninilchik and Clam Gulch beaches to assess abundance of juvenile and mature sized razor clams, recruitment to the beach and mature size, annual growth, natural mortality, and potential harvest opportunity.

This closure does not affect recreational razor clam regulations on westside Cook Inlet beaches. If you have any questions, please contact the ADF&G Homer Office at (907) 235-8191.

For more information, please contact Area Management Biologist Carol Kerkvliet or Assistant Area Biologist Mike Booz at 907-235-8191.

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