Sport and personal use razor clam fisheries on the east side of the Cook Inlet will not open this year, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game announced in a May 7 press release, due to the adult clam population being at “historical lows.”

ADF&G conducted razor clam abundance surveys at the Ninilchik and Clam Gulch beaches in April and earlier this month and found abundance to be below the threshold required to open either fishery in 2025. Abundance will be assessed again in the spring of 2026.

In the south beach area of Ninilchik, razor clam abundance assessment showed there to be approximately 62,000 clams — 75% below the abundance threshold to open the limited fishery in Ninilchik, the release states.

The north beach area of Clam Gulch showed adult razor clam abundance to be even more dire, with approximately 27,000 clams — the “lowest observed adult abundance ever for this location” and 97% below the threshold for the fishery to open.

The abundance of juvenile clams at both locations was also well below average, suggesting high rates of natural mortality and “poor recruitment of new cohorts to these beaches,” likely leading to the east side Cook Inlet razor clam fishery remaining closed for several more years.

According to the release, the causes of these conditions remain unknown but likely include effects from habitat changes and predation.

Mike Booz, ADF&G lower Cook Inlet area management biologist, said in the release that the best option for digging razor clams this season will be at the Polly Creek and Crescent River Bar beaches on the west side of the Cook Inlet.

“Unfortunately, we are not seeing any improvement with razor clam numbers rebuilding in east Cook Inlet,” he said.

Contact Booz or Assistant Area Management Biologist Holly Dickson at 907-235-8191 for more information.