We applied a combination of most probable number-polymerase chain reaction (MPN-PCR) methods using a PCR procedure targeting the H-NS (VP1133) gene to detect Vibrio parahaemolyticus presence and density in seawater as well as within short-necked clam Ruditapes philippinarum tissues collected from Gomso Bay, Korea. In 30 seawater samples, V. parahaemolyticus levels ranged from less than 1.8 to $1.1{ imes}10^3MPN/100mL$, and samples from August showed higher than those from other months. Furthermore, the levels of V. parahaemolyticus in six short-necked clam samples ranged from $7.8{ imes}10^2$ to $2.1{ imes}10^3MPN/100g$, approximately 2.5 times higher than in seawater samples from the corresponding month. Our results provide data on V. parahaemolyticus contamination in seawater and short-necked clam tissues, and help to improve quantitative methods of assessing V. parahaemolytcius levels.