SEATTLE — Gov. Jay Inslee on Friday renewed the state’s commitment to protecting Washington’s lucrative shellfish resources.
Inslee joined federal, tribal and other leaders at the National Fish & Oyster Co. in Olympia to launch the second phase of the Washington Shellfish Initiative, which former Gov. Chris Gregoire initiated in 2011.
The state, working with many partners including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, will take new steps to improve water quality, restore native shellfish such as Olympia oysters, improve the permitting process for shellfish-growers and promote ways to address how ocean acidification is affecting shellfish.
“Shellfish are an important part of our economy and our heritage here in Washington,” Inslee said in a statement.
Washington is the leading producer of farmed shellfish in the U.S., with revenues of about $150 million in 2013. The farmed shellfish industry contributed $184 million to the state’s economy in 2010 and supports about 2,700 jobs.
The initiative doesn’t include any new state money. It would rely on existing dollars or leveraging other sources of money.
Since the initiative was first launched four years ago, a panel of experts has outlined strategies to address ocean acidification, a new native shellfish hatchery was opened in Kitsap County, and health officials have spent millions on water quality programs to ensure healthy shellfish growing areas.
The initiative has supported important new research and actions, and the next phase will build on that momentum, said Will Stelle, NOAA’s West Coast Regional Administrator. NOAA has promoted U.S. marine aquaculture as a way to create jobs, improve food security and nutrition and as a way to restore species and habitats.
Some environmentalists and others have opposed the expansion of shellfish aquaculture in Puget Sound, raising concerns about the environmental impacts of too many shellfish operations. They worry about water pollution and potential harm to marine ecosystem.
One of the many goals is to support more research into harmful algal blooms, which this year shut down many razor clam digs and commercial Dungeness crab fishing on the coast.
Restoring and protecting healthy shellfish beds is one of the top three priorities for cleaning up Puget Sound, according to the Puget Sound Partnership. Nearly one-fifth of shellfish growing areas are closed to harvesting because of pollution or other issues.
The partnership, a state agency, has a goal to open an additional 10,800 acres where for shellfish harvesting between 2007 and 2020.
As of November, the state reported a net increase of about 3,800 acres.
