The Pismo Beach Clam Festival celebrated one of the city's best-known coastal traditions while also putting a focus on conservation and clamming rules.
The Pismo Beach Police Department recently recovered 500 clams seized from three Bay Area residents.
“We are seeing more and more cases of individuals going down, clamming and capturing a large number of clams that are non-legal size,” Police Chief Jeff Smith said.
During the festival, the Pismo Beach Stewardship Program handed out hundreds of bags with educational resources about clamming rules and conservation.
Stewardship Program Manager Emma Rhoads said education has become a bigger focus.
“There’s been a lot more focus on conservation and teaching people how important it is to the ecosystem, how they can protect the clam as well, whether they’re engaging in clamming or kids at the beach.”
Smith said city leaders are also considering establishing a clamming season to help manage harvesting.
