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THE ASTORIAN • SATuRdAy, SEpTEmbER 21, 2019
OPINION
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OUR VIEW
Threatened clam season calls for smart responses
O
ur coast’s many fanati-
cal razor clam diggers feel
whipsawed between news
that local sands swarm with deli-
cious bivalves but that a new blob
of warm seawater might produce a
toxic bloom and make these clams
inedible.
At this point, such worries are pre-
mature. The most recent monitoring
found no upsurge in concentrations
of the type of diatom that sometimes
produces toxin.
Even those who wouldn’t be
caught dead splashing in the surf in
rubber boots plunging shovels and
clam guns into the dimpled sands
have to care about this issue. Rec-
reational clamming pumps millions
into the coastal economy during fall,
winter and early spring months when
businesses desperately need the cash
infusion. Clams also form a key part
of our ecological food web, sustain-
ing Dungeness crab and other valu-
able species.
Clam seasons have been rocked
by the emergence of domoic acid.
Produced by marine microorganisms
that sometimes generate the toxin
when exposed to warmer water,
domoic acid can cause illnesses and
death in mammals and birds, while
apparently doing no harm to the
clams that ingest it in the process of
filter feeding.
There was an especially bad local
domoic outbreak in 2015, toward the
end of the previous development of
a blob of warm seawater that started
in late 2013. The 2014-15 season
was ended slightly early because
of domoic concentrations in clams,
and aftereffects lingered through
the first half of the 2015-16 season.
After the toxin cleared from clams,
Washington state agencies packed as
much harvest as they could into the
remainder of that season.
A similar strategy jammed as
many digging days as possible into
the 2016-17 season despite the lon-
gest domoic-related closure since
2002. The toxin also impacted com-
mercial crabbing off and on in these
years.
The 2017-18 and 2018-19 seasons
didn’t include domoic outbreaks, but
the previous enormous clam popula-
tion had dissipated — possibly hav-
ing died of old age. While many tiny
clams were found during the summer
2018 population study, there were
Luke Whittaker/Chinook Observer
Mark Cady counted his limit of razor clams last year. He and other
digging enthusiasts may have many more opportunities this year,
with a 5.2 million clam harvest quota.
few sizable adults, and only four dig-
ging days were permitted last season.
Now, a harvest quota of 5.2 mil-
lion — the most in modern history
— has been announced for 2019-20.
And almost simultaneously, there’s
news a big patch of warm seawater
has formed offshore — the “Return
of the Blob” that Washington State
Climatologist Nick Bond predicted
three years ago at a Long Beach sci-
ence conference. Local people have
known for several weeks that nearby
waters were becoming unusually
warm, based on the kinds of marine
life being observed and caught by
fishermen.
the seasonal storms that have already
been arriving.
• Connections between warm
ocean water and the on-switch for
domoic production still are poorly
understood. So we may luck out
altogether — or we might get clob-
bered sooner rather than later.
• State and federal agencies have
for years set the “action threshold”
for domoic acid at 20 parts per mil-
lion in clams, but it’s entirely possi-
ble this may be lowered. There is a
suspicion among scientists that long-
term exposure to even lower toxin
levels can result in harm.
• These huge pools of unusually
WITHOUT SMART THINKING, THE
WARMING OCEAN THREATENS NOT ONLY
SHELLFISH, buT AN ECONOmy ANd
LIFESTyLE buILT AROuNd THEm.
Clam fans anticipate feeling like
Charlie Brown does when Lucy
snatches away the football just as
he’s about to kick it.
Several points to bear in mind:
• When the previous blob formed
offshore in the fall of 2013, it took a
couple of years before domoic acid
began to be generated and reached
hazardous levels in clams. So we
could be OK for the whole 2019-20
season. In addition, this year’s blob
is shallow and could be dissipated by
warm seawater are popping up here
and there around the world. In the
South Atlantic off Uruguay, a blob
similar to ours has decimated the
surf clam industry. This may be a
sign of things to come as tempera-
tures rise.
• Effective monitoring of actual
ocean conditions before toxins enter
the near-shore food web is vital. In
addition, the states must strive for
more timely information about clam
conditions, and more closely tai-
lor digging times and places to take
advantage of clean clams. A new
testing system under development
promises to deliver toxin results
within an hour of sampling, in con-
trast to as much as a couple of days
now.
• During previous domoic out-
breaks, digging would have been
more-often permissible if authori-
ties had been willing to open miles-
long segments of beach where
domoic levels were low. State agen-
cies believe this would be difficult
to manage, as personnel could have
a difficult time regulating digging in
closed areas when some people walk
to the beach through the dunes and
wouldn’t see closure signs. These
potential issues seem relatively easy
to address.
• With an historically large harvest
quota subject to potential spoilage if
there is a toxin surge, the Washing-
ton Department of Fish and Wild-
life’s decision to begin the local sea-
son early is very welcome. The
agency should maximize harvest
opportunities throughout the coming
fall and winter.
Ultimately, it may perhaps be pos-
sible to bioengineer the offending
algae so it does not produce domoic
acid, or to develop other novel solu-
tions to the problem.
Without smart thinking, the
warming ocean threatens not only
shellfish, but an economy and life-
style built around them.
GUEST COLUMNS
Death penalty bill a betrayal
I
n June, the Oregon Legislature passed
death penalty statute.
Senate Bill 1013 that narrowed the defi-
To force victims to relive tragedies and
nition of aggravated murder and drasti-
come away with even less justice for their
cally reduced the number of murderers in this
loved one that they reasonably believed
state who are eligible for the death penalty.
already was done is a fate I would not wish
While reasonable minds can differ on the
upon anyone.
question of capital punishment, we should all
Regardless of where you stand on the
agree that our laws need to be clearly written
death penalty, we all want certainty when it
and not cause harm to victims of crime.
comes to some of our most important laws.
Even though the proponents of the bill
I feel betrayed as a voter because I voted for
made assurances that it would not be retroac-
the death penalty back in the 1970s and again
tive, some now admit they always intended
in the 1980s and 1990s as a majority of Ore-
gonians have done.
for the new law to be retroactive.
A judge in Washington County
Due to the end run by the Legisla-
ture and the refusal by the governor
ruled in August that the new law is
to call a special session, I feel cheated
retroactive and applies to a pend-
ing 1998 case where the defendant
out of my vote. You may, too, regard-
less of your personal views on the
was convicted of aggravated murder,
death penalty.
received the death penalty and subse-
quently was granted post-conviction
The fix is fairly easy. The cost to
RON
relief. Martin Allen Johnson was con-
the state wouldn’t be nearly as much
victed of raping and killing a 15-year-
BROWN
as the cost to all of the crime victims’
old Tigard girl and dumping her body
families who will potentially be rev-
ictimized by the callous way in which
off the Astoria Bridge.
The Oregon Department of Justice said
our death penalty was gutted and made retro-
active, apparently by design.
last month that they would not appeal the
There’s still a few days left and maybe
judge’s ruling.
Now Gov. Kate Brown refuses to call a
Gov. Brown and the Legislature can still fix
special session to fix the defective death pen-
this mess. Please sound off about this unfair
alty bill even though the bill doesn’t take
situation. Without a fix, justice will be denied
effect until Sept. 29.
to many victims in our state. Our local leg-
islators should be congratulated for voting
The poor victim’s family, thinking that the
case was finished and the defendant was on
“no” on this bill.
death row, now has to face the prospect of
This type of end run of democracy should
a new trial. The trial court has already ruled
not be tolerated.
that the defendant can’t receive the death
Ron brown is the Clatsop County district
attorney.
penalty because the facts don’t fit the new
Mitchell recall will backfire
I
n the past year, I’ve become a vocal
again in Salem. We can all agree on that. I
opponent of House Bill 2020, the cap-
believe the best time to hold Rep. Mitchell
and-trade program. As the president of
accountable is Election Day in November
the United Steelworkers Local 1097 at the
2020. When she stands for reelection, we
Georgia-Pacific Wauna Mill in Westport,
will have the opportunity to support a local
it’s my responsibility to protect the jobs of
candidate of any party to run against her
who’s less partisan, opposes radical policies
my fellow workers at our energy-efficient
like cap and trade, and stands for the hard-
plant.
working people of the North Coast instead
I’ve shared my opposition to cap and
of Portland.
trade with our state Rep. Tiffiny Mitch-
ell, who rejected our arguments and voted
With a recall, we can be handed another
against our district and other hardworking
puppet of Portland who may actually con-
vince people here that he or she deserves
people in the state.
a chance to serve in Salem. Some-
I applaud #TimberUnity for their
times it’s better to do nothing at all
fast organizing effort and stepping
than something that will backfire.
into the arena when they did. With-
out their efforts, the coalition could
A successful recall is almost
not have killed the bill.
guaranteed to produce a newly-ap-
pointed state representative who will
Unfortunately, I believe the same
stand with the Portland politicians as
as others that the recall effort against
BILL
Rep. Mitchell ultimately did by not
Mitchell can backfire for the peo-
KERR
ple of the North Coast. It may seem
representing us — the community
odd for a guy like me to oppose
she swore to serve. We need more
the recall of a legislator who has
people like state Sen. Betsy John-
son, who rejects radical Portland politics
shown little interest in protecting our fami-
ly-wage jobs in Clatsop County and across
and stands bravely for our community.
the North Coast. As always, the devil is in
For me, it’s a simple choice. We either
let the party and elected politicians pick our
the details.
next state representative, or wait until Rep.
If we recall Rep. Mitchell, the Demo-
cratic Party gets to recommend their best
Mitchell stands for reelection. I believe the
choices to our county commissioners, who
people of the North Coast need to be the
would pick her replacement. Ultimately the
ones to choose who represents our commu-
nity. That’s why I’m not signing the recall
results will be just another cap-and-trade
petition.
supporter without a voting record and in
bill Kerr is president of the united Steel-
slightly less radical packaging. Same song,
workers Local 1097, which represents work-
different person.
Rep. Mitchell doesn’t deserve to serve
ers at the Georgia-Pacific Wauna Mill.