SHELLFISH RESOURCES OF NORTHWEST COAST. 17 



THE SOUTHWESTERN WASHINGTON REGION. 



This section of the survey included the ocean beaches north of 

 the mouth of the Cohimbia Kiver to the outlet of Willapa Bay, the 

 latter body of water, and brief investigations of the resources of 

 sections of Puget Sound in the vicinity of Olympia, Wash. 



In 1917 the output of minced clams of the canneries of Nahcotta, 

 a town on the west shore of Willapa Bay, was very limited, the 

 reason ascribed for the unusual inactivities of the canneries being 

 an apparent depletion of the supply. During the following year, 

 however, the clams were much more plentiful and the output of the 

 canned product was greatly enhanced. The Washington beaches are 

 a source of supply of fresh clams for the markets of Portland and 

 other cities of the Northwest. 



Willapa Bay is one of the chief centers of distribution of the 

 eastern oyster in the Northwest. Artificial plantations of consider- 

 able area have become established in these waters. The " toke- 

 point" oyster is a familiar one in the markets of many cities of the 

 Northwest. 



It is customar}^ for the oyster companies to ship young eastern 

 03''sters from the Atlantic seacoast in carload lots, plant them for 

 periods of from two to four years, and then place them on the 

 markets. 



That there are prospects of inducing the eastern oyster to propa- 

 gate on the west coast is indicated by the spawning of the species in 

 certain localities in Willapa Bay during the season of 1917. Here- 

 tofore it was the general belief that the temperature of the waters 

 of the Pacific coast was too cold to permit of the propagation of the 

 eastern species. 



The Long Island Oyster Co., with headquarters at South Bend, 

 Wash., reported to the writer in 1918 that it was its belief that the 

 degree of temperature of the water was not the deciding factor, but 

 that a uniformity of temperature must be maintained to induce 

 spawning. This belief was based upon careful observations of the 

 spawning of the eastern species by the above company on certain of 

 their plantations in Willapa Bay during the previous season. 



The broad mud flats of the western shore of Willapa Bay rrrain- 

 tain a good supply of the eastern mud clarti, Mya arenaria^ but this 

 species is little used here as food except by a very few local con- 

 sumers. 



The gravel beds of the southern arms of Puget Sound supply the 

 markets of many cities of Washington, of Portland, Oreg., and of 

 many of the upper Willamette Valley towns with the "little-neck 

 clam," Paphya staminea. Paphya is one of the best of shippers 

 among the shellfish of the Northwest, having a hard shell which 

 closes tightly when the clam is removed from the water. 



Tests with Paphya staminea from this region and others in the 

 course of the investigations indicate that the clam may be kept in an 

 edible condition for at least a week after having been taken if it is 

 well iced. It will remain good for several days without ice if kept 

 in a cool place. 



