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The information we collected during the shellfish and estuarine assessment in 2012 enabled us to map the location, density, and associated habitat features of bay clams in Yaquina Bay. The two types of maps presented on this webpage display where we found clams during our survey.
The first type of map is the Clamming Maps of Yaquina Bay. These maps present the bay clam densities in recreationally important clamming areas. The four bay clam species include cockle, gaper, butter, and native littleneck clams.
The second type of map is the SEACOR Research Result Maps which focus on the clam densities in a specific region of the bay. These maps show SEACOR study results for each part of the bay.
| Recreationally important clamming areas sampled during the study |
Breakwater Flat
Breakwater Flat is near the commercial boat basin on the north side of the bay and is only accessible by boat. The intertidal area on the north side of the breakwater is a shellfish preserve and is closed to all clam harvest. The clam species with the highest density on Breakwater Flat were cockles and gaper clams.
Breakwater Flat Clam Densities (pdf) |
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Bridge Flat
Bridge Flat is located under the Yaquina Bay bridge. This popular recreational flat supports populations of cockles and gaper clams with the best access at minus tides. Butters and native littleneck clams were entirely absent from all sites surveyed at Bridge Flat.
Bridge Flat Clam Densities (pdf) |
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Idaho Flat
Idaho Flat is an expansive flat on the south side of the bay near the Hatfield Marine Science Center. This flat shifts from sand to mud moving from west to east. Burrowing shrimp are common residents in this flat. Expansive mats of green macroalgae are present in late summer. Idaho Flat has beds of both native (Zostera marina) and the non-native (Zostera japonica) eelgrass. As with other parts of Yaquina Bay, the two eelgrass types were found in distinct bands with the native beds lower in the intertidal than the non-native eelgrass. All four bay clam species were found in the samples from Idaho Flat with cockles and gaper clams in the highest densities.
Idaho Flat Clam Densities (pdf) |
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Raccoon Flat
Raccoon Flat is located east of Idaho Point. Soft mud is the prevailing substratum. Butter clams were absent from the samples on this flat. Of the other three bay clams, cockles were found at the highest densities.
Raccoon Flat Clam Densities (pdf)
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Sally’s Bend Flat
Sally’s Bend Flat is on the north side of the bay just east of the commercial port docks. This flat has a large expanse of native eelgrass beds and very soft mud sediments. Burrowing shrimp are common in this habitat. The non-native eelgrass (Zostera japonica) is also present in the higher intertidal areas of this flat. Cockle, gaper and native littleneck clams were present in samples from this flat. Cockles were found in the highest numbers per meter squared than the other bay clam species.
Sally’s Bend Flat Clam Densities (pdf) |
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Overall, we found that region and habitat affect the distribution and number of the species we investigated.
Directions to Yaquina Bay clamming access points (pdf)
Contact the SEACOR project via e-mail at:
ODFW.SEACOR@state.or.us |
