"Whenever I visit the seacoast, I derive pleasure just knowing that several feet beneath my waterproof boots lies an animal quite possibly 90 years my senior, silently finishing a supper of diatoms and algae inhaled through its meter long neck." David George Gordon, "Field Guide to the Geoduck"

An old postcard pokes fun at gathering the geoduck. There are tales of geoducks weighing up to 20 pounds. In reality, most geoducks in Puget Sound weigh between 1 and 3 lbs. The maximum documented weight: 7.15 pounds.

Gobs of Geoducks

About 109 million adult geoducks are packed into Puget Sound's sediments ­ the biggest bunch of marine animals in the Sound. Puget Sound bays and estuaries harbor the highest density of geoducks in the continuous United States. Geoducks are most abundant in southern Puget Sound.

The geoduck lives in the sandy mud of the lower intertidal and subtidal zones. It is most often found at depths between 10 and 80 feet below the mean low tide mark. Geoducks have been recorded on videotape in Case Inlet at water depths of 360 feet.

Geoducks are harvested in deep waters by professional divers. Geoducks have been marketed in the United States as "king clam." Considered a delicacy in Asian countries along the Pacific, geoducks are also shipped to Taiwan.

Geoduck Facts Home Body A developing geoduck burrows into sediment 1 foot per year. After digging about 3 feet deep, the adult geoduck settles in for 100 years or more.   Small Supper The geoduck feeds on phytoplankton (single-celled marine algae), mostly diatoms and flagellates.   Siphon Stretch In burrowed adults, the siphon may stretch 39 inches to the sea bed.

Before You Dig For Geoducks
or Any Other Shellfish...

• Please respect the rights of private beach owners and dig only on public beaches.
• Sometimes public beaches are closed to shellfish gathering due to red tide (or paralytic shellfish poisoning), contamination to shellfish due to pollution, or overharvesting.
• Check the marine biotoxin Web site for information on red tides and beach closures.
• Ask your county health department about the area you plan to harvest.
• Get a shellfish license and check the Department of Fish and Wildlife shellfish rules & regulations.
• Avoid grabbing geoducks by the neck or siphon.
• After digging, fill in your holes.

Related Links

Shellfish Committee Information - The 2007 Washington State Legislature passed SSHB 2220 relating to shellfish aquaculture.

Marine Biotoxin Bulletin, Washington State Department of Health. Before you dig for shellfish, visit this Web site for information on beach closures.

Gathering Safe Shellfish in Washington: Avoiding Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning, Pierce County Health Department. Poisoning symptoms, treatment, and how to avoid it.

Shellfish Rules and Regulations, Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife. Regulations and general information on shellfish harvesting.

Clam Diggers: Why Fill in Your Holes? Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife.

The Harmful Algae Page, National Science Foundation. What are harmful algae blooms? Test your knowledge.