The City of Pismo Beach is ramping up efforts to prevent people from illegally harvesting the Pismo clam. It’s to protect the species and sustain its population.
In the mid-1900s the city was known as the “Clam Capital of the World.” The clams started to disappear around the 1980s, and now, the animals are making a comeback.
As the population recovers, Pismo Beach is letting people know that they’ll respond to illegal clam harvesting with fines and citations.
Assistant City Manager Mike James says the city will increase signage, especially around the pier and on plastic A-frame stands on the beach, to make sure people know the rules on harvesting the mollusks.
“We want to encourage everyone to clam, but clam properly,” James said.
He said the city also wants to do more social media outreach to help visitors and tourists clam legally.
“Lets get some videos out there, let’s get some still photographs, and let’s start making a methodical and consistent approach to help everyone understand what the expectation is,” James said.
Harvested clams must be at least 4 and a half inches wide.
Pismo Beach’s fines for illegal clamming can range between a hundred and a thousand dollars, although many recent fines have been from the state of California.
In 2023, state officials fined a Fresno woman $88,000 when her children accidentally collected dozens of undersized clams from Pismo Beach. A judge later reduced the fine to $500.
