Shellfish Aquaculture
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Shellfish Aquaculture is a kind of agricultural land use, where intertidal areas of Beaches and Embayments and even River Deltas are seeded with juvenile shellfish, and then are harvested. The industry is very strong in the Salish Sea since colonization, and exploitation of Olympia Oyster. The industry revolves around production of oysters, mussels, clams, and for Asian markets, geoduck. Both tribal and non-tribal companies participate in the industry. The Shellfish Aquaculture community has been a strong advocate for Water Quality, as Fecal Contamination can result in shellfish bed closures. There are multiple Introduced Species associated with the industry, including predatory snails. Increasing industrialization of production over generations has included use of plastic tarps, site preparation using tillage and herbicides, and predatory exclusion using PVC, netting and bags. A wide range of methods are used for cultivation.
Notes
- Puget Sound Vital Signs uses a shellfish aquaculture bed area as a metric for ecosystem management.
- Thomas Creek Watershed has been a focus for fecal remediation due to closures in Samish Delta.
- Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife may lease tidelands for aquaculture production, thus becoming a focus for regulatory determinations.
- A large body of research considers the benefits and impacts of shellfish aquaculture production. This research is highly relevant because nearshore areas are critical habitat under the Endangered Species Act and are Waters of the United States under the Clean Water Act. The US Army Corps of Engineers has a nationwide permit program to streamline aquaculture applications, while creating a Federal Nexus for regulation.
- Funding through the Farm Bill and NRCS may be applied to shellfish aquaculture conservation activities.
- In particular quiescent areas of South Puget Sound and Hood Canal have extensive areas of shellfish aquaculture production.
- Areas of the Washington Outer Coast in Willapa Bay and Greys Harbor have extensive areas of shellfish production.
