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Published 10/21/09
To Eat the Beach: the Edible Oregon Coast
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| The Japanese are well aware that octopus is edible - but are you? (photo Tiffany Boothe) |
(Oregon Coast) – Watch your step as you tread on Oregon’s beaches: you could be walking on someone else's next meal.
According to the Seaside Aquarium's Tiffany Boothe, there is an abundance of edible things you can simply find on the beach.
“It’s obvious that most things are edible - it's whether or not you like them,” said Boothe. “You can eat almost all species of snails, clams, octopi and fish. Most aren't going to make you sick.”
Boothe, a tireless mind always in search of the next cool factoid about the marine world, collects these funky facts like some people collect hubcaps. She wanders the beaches, photographing and looking carefully in the sand and tide pools, and then she plants herself in front of a computer and cruises the Net for the science behind what she’s found.
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| Sea cucumbers are supposedly quite a delicacy (photo Boothe) |
Boothe’s research has come up with a list of edibles from the tide pool. The table is set for quite the freaky feast. She says the following can be consumed by us humans, stuff that most people aren’t aware are edible:
- Certain species of limpets. Limpets are related to snails and clams.
- Gumboot Chitons. These are the largest species of chitons in the world reaching lengths of 13 inches. On average, other species of chitons are about 2 to 3 inches long.
- Sea Urchin
- Muscles (some people know that these are edible but some do not).
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| Giant barnacle |
- Seaweeds such as Sea Lettuce and Bull Kelp.
- Water Jellies, like jellyfish
- California Sea Cucumber. This is the largest species of sea cucumber in Oregon’s waters. An odd little tidbit: when threatened, the California Sea Cucumber will eject their internal organs. They are able to re-generate them in six to eight weeks.
- Giant Barnacle. These are one of the world's largest barnacles. Individually they are five inches high and four inches wide. They are usually roasted and eaten.
- Giant Pacific Octopus
- Wolf Eel
Of course scallops and other clams: Rock Scallop, Pink Scallop, Razor Clams, Cockle Clams, Goeducks, Butter Clams, etc.
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