Three Arrested, One Flees After Four People Illegally Harvest Clams at Pismo Beach, California; Only 16 of 494 Pismo Clams Meet Size Limit

According to SeafoodSource, police at Pismo Beach, California, seized an illegal clam-harvesting case on the weekend of October 3; three people involved were arrested and another fled the scene.

An officer with the Pismo Beach Police Department spotted a small group of people in possession of a large number of clams after the legal clam-harvesting hours had ended. When the officer approached to investigate, two people fled the scene. A follow-up investigation seized a total of 494 Pismo clams (皮斯莫蛤), of which all but 16 were below the legal size.

Under the rules, Pismo clams must measure 4.5 inches to be retained, and undersized clams must be immediately reburied in the sand.

In a message posted on social media, the Pismo Beach Police Department said: "Thanks to the efforts of the responding officers, all recovered clams were successfully reburied and are expected to survive. We would like to thank the California Department of Fish and Wildlife for its assistance with this investigation."

The three people involved — two who remained at the scene and one who later returned — were arrested on multiple commercial fishing violations. None of the three had the clam forks, measuring tools, or valid fishing licenses required by law.

The Pismo Beach Police Department also said: "Pismo clams were once severely depleted by overharvesting. After years of conservation efforts and strict regulation, their population is steadily recovering. We encourage everyone to learn about and comply with all applicable clam-harvesting laws and regulations to help protect this important natural resource for future generations."

The report was written by SeafoodSource managing editor Nathan Strout and published on October 13, 2026.