wa-law.org > bill > 2025-26 > SB 5560 > Original Bill
The legislature finds that the Pacific razor clam, Siliqua patula, is endemic to the Pacific Northwest and is abundant on Washington's sandy coastal beaches. It is an important part of the cultural identity of the state. For thousands of years for coastal indigenous people, and for hundreds of years for their fellow Washingtonians, digging for razor clams has been a subsistence, recreational, and commercial activity that is family centric and enjoyed by all ages. 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 of people to the seashore every year, providing healthy exercise and outdoor experiences for Washingtonians while bolstering the coastal economy. Armed with clam shovels, tubes, and sometimes using just bare hands, Washingtonians in recent years have harvested as many as 8,000,000 clams annually.
The streamlined, oblong shell of the Pacific razor clam is golden hued, symmetrical, and especially handsome. The flesh is meaty and makes for premier table fare as a healthy, organic, wild food source. Additionally, unlike other northwest clam species, razor clams are very mobile with a powerful foot, which makes trying to dig them out of the sand a sporting chase. For all these reasons, the Pacific razor clam is an icon of the state worthy of the title of official clam of the state of Washington.
The Siliqua patula, more commonly known as the Pacific razor clam, is hereby designated as the official clam of the state of Washington.