REVERE (CBS) It was as if Mother Nature bestowed a huge gift for the local seagulls. Tens of thousands of surf clams were deposited on Revere Beach by this weeks Noreaster.

This really fits the model of a large storm, washing animals up on the beach. Surf clams are known to be mobile. They like to be in the high-velocity zones. So they dont mind being in that surface zone, and they can dig down deep pretty quickly. So we think there were probably caught in the near shore, and with the waves, they washed up onto the beach, said State Marine Fisheries Jeff Kennedy.

There are so many clams, you can hardly walk where they are. State officials made sure this was a natural event, not influenced by humans.

We did review other wastewater treatment plants, operations, just to make sure there were no complicating or connecting factor, said Kennedy

These are not the small juvenile surf clams you find in chowder, or with linguini. These are big adults.

And dont go collecting some for dinner. Just leave them for the seagulls.

Revere Beach is classified as prohibited and the clams are contaminated, Kennedy said. Theyre not safe to eat. Its a sanitary classification.

More here:

Not Safe To Eat: Thousands Of Clams Washed Up Onto Revere Beach After Storm - CBS Boston