Razor clam

[Gordnick]

I am curious whether anybody has gathered sea food, particularly razor clams in the Kirkcaldy coastal area. Im in Burntisland, and would welcome making contacts of anyone with knowledgwe of this. Im an enthusiastic amateur.

Thanks

[warthog1981]

I,ll just point out that the big yellow buoy that you can see from Ravenscraig beach at Kirkcaldy it the main sewer outlet for the sewage treatment plant on the same beach :(

So maybe not the best place to gather food from the sea


PS I live in Kirkcaldy :D

[Gordnick]

Thanks Warthog. I have a couple of points regarding the sewage outlet.

1. I saw people gathering on the beach recently, so i reckoned it was fine. Would you happen to know the best people to advise on water quality and to seek further advice on gathering locally, seeing as your a local.

2. Is there any real difference between sewage in the water and putting manure on your veg? Excuse my ignorance, but i really don't know.

[warthog1981]

It might be safe then again it might not be im not sure who to ask to be honest :(

Yeah a big difference putting manure on your veg feeds the plant but putting sewage on shellfish concentrates all the bad bacteria in the shellfish some off them can make you very very ill :(

[Toddy]

An old report but still relevant

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/1672207.stm

I think the major issue is that the pathogens in sewage are specifically 'ours; iimmc.

http://www.shellfish.org.uk/shellfish_information/public_health_&_shellfish/public_health_&_shellfish.html

However, this link ought to lead to details of shellfish, safe or notsafe, waters in Fife.
http://74.125.77.132/search?q=cache:OjxaEX8DO9gJ:lp consult.fife.gov.uk/file/443332+shellfish,+sewage,+fife&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=4&gl=uk


cheers,
Toddy

[SkogKniv]

mmmm nothing like a good steamy clam eh boys!

[andybysea]

I dont know about there but the sewage outlet that pumps out into the Forth turns off(well wants to against local opposition) its uv treatment this time of year to save money which means that more live/dangerous bacteria is being pumped into the sea,i recently went out and gathered some limpet, cooked them on a flat rock in the fire ashes, my mate quite liked them i found them not very nice.

[locum76]

http://www.goodbeachguide.co.uk/details.php?beach=Kirkcaldy+-+Seafield

follow this link for an overview of Seafield beach at Kirkcaldy, a search of the same site will give an overview of most major beaches in the country.

[locum76]

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Environment/Water/15561/3710#anchor2

this could be helpful too, its leads to a list of beaches and coasts of Scotland which are specifically protected for shellfish. If Kirkcaldy is no good for you then one of these might be...

Rob

[littlebiglane]

Razor clams, I believe, are breeding over the winter so its best (for sustainability of colonies) to leave off harvesting them over this period. Also they are carry rather large roe sacks because they are reproducing - that I prefer to not eat - so its a bit wasteful. Wait until spring is my advice

[Gailainne]

From the point of shellfish, the question you need to ask is; are they filter feeders or are they grazers, filterfeeders take their food from the seawater which is why mussels are a nono when there is a red tide, or a sewage outlet, as Russ said they concentrate toxins.
However grazers feed on algae growing on rocks, which is more in keeping with the farming/manure theme, ie safer.

Looks like razor clams are filterfeeders, so not the best thing to be gathering next to a sewage outlet.

Stephen

[Goatboy]

I love razors, maybe because they are such a bugger to harvest. I also walk my mutt at Kircaldy and I wouldn't eat from the beach there a) without being desperate and b) without a large tub of Andrews Liver Salts.
I'm luckly just back from Portnaluchaig near Arisaig, known as the "silversands" ( where they filmed Local Hero for all us old farts). It's one of the cleanest beaches in Europe and it was a pretty good smorgasboard of scollops, langoustines, mussells and lots of other yummy stuff.
Razors are blinking difficult, only done it a couple of times... a super salinated solution seems best from a squeezy bottle, then hold on for grim death.
Happy hunting
Goatboy.

[Barn Owl]

My coast is impure,don't matter that they've sorted the sewage a bit better,i ust don't trust it.

Mind since doing the treatment there is a distinct lack of some wildfowl in numbers offshore.
A definite sign that things are a bit better.

I couldn't list the 'stuff' I used to find though.Uugh.

I'd need firm confirmation that it was safe to eat from a particular shore before I'd entertain it.

[ewanfish]

I use the fine table salt & put about a table spoon amount on to the razor hole but have seen the rough sea salt (stuff you use to salt fish etc) just as good with out watering it down. The weather, wind & tempeture can all affect your catch but you should get 2 to 3 doz minimum each tide up to & had 12 doz (good tide & warm sunny day) one time average about 4/5doz. Usually just give them away or use them for bait but might make a chouder out of them this year, tried to cook 1 years ago but must of cooked it to long. Does anyone know of beaches around the Newcastle area that have Razors as i have a mate here aboard ship that lives there & loves them & is wanting to try getting some.
Thanks.