You can pay for your membership using Paypal (no account required).
Puget Sound Restoration Fund manages a community shellfish farm in Thurston County’s Henderson Inlet in partnership with the Pacific Coast Shellfish Growers Association and with generous support from an array of partners. The Henderson Farm is one component of a well-funded, multi-faceted outreach effort that has dramatically increased the community’s appreciation for shellfish resources in Henderson Inlet. When combined with Thurston County’s proactive septic system inspection program, it has recently led to a significant shellfish harvest upgrade in the area.
On August 4, 2008, in response to a multi-faceted public outreach effort including the Community Shellfish Farm, the Office of Shellfish and Water Protection in the
Washington State Dept. of Health issued the following bulletin: Effective immediately, we are changing the amount of rain that closes the Conditional area in Henderson Inlet. It has been raised from one-half inch in 24 hours to one inch in 24 hours. The length of the closure remains at 5 days. As a result, Henderson Inlet should be open much more frequently during the rainy season.
Henderson Inlet Community Shellfish Farm OR "The Little Farm that Could"
Mucking around in the productive ooze of Puget Sound is what this film is all about. Launched in 2003, the Henderson Inlet Farm gets the whole community out on the beach seeding and harvesting oysters. Henderson Inlet is an incredibly productive marine system with a rich history of oyster culture. But the only way we can keep getting food from Henderson Inlet is if we keep the water clean. The same is true for many other bays and inlets in Puget Sound. This short 14-minute film features an eclectic and motley crew in the South Sound who are producing community-grown oysters to create tasty incentives for pollution control that everyone can enjoy.
Conduct 10 tideflat tours each year to educate 300-500 students, parents, and teachers in shellfish aquaculture and water quality (in partnership with South Sound Green, Pacific Shellfish Institute and others).
Harvest over 150 dozen oysters for public events, including SLURP and Oyster New Year at Elliott’s Oyster House.
Install 20 shellfish gardens on private tidelands to invest local property owners in the value of clean water (bringing the total to 50 gardens installed since 2004).
Involve 50-100 volunteers in thinning and harvesting oysters, preparing shellfish garden kits, organizing aquaculture gear and serving community-grown shellfish at local events.
Sponsor annual oyster giveaways for residents within the Henderson watershed who take action to manage their septic systems as part of Thurston County’s new septic system O&M program (residents receive one dozen oysters with proof of inspection).
Provide support for farm volunteers actively involved in preventing additional bacterial pollution in Henderson Inlet.
Partners
Pacific Coast Shellfish Growers Association
Volunteer Farmers
Thurston County
Thurston Conservation District
The Russell Family Foundation
Washington State University
Elliott’s Oyster House
Washington Department of Health
Squaxin Island Tribe
Western Oyster Company
Taylor Shellfish Farms
Chelsea Farms
Seattle Shellfish
Coast Seafoods
South Sound Green
Pacific Shellfish Institute
Private tideland owners
Residents of the Henderson Inlet watershed
Robin Downey with Pacific Coast Shellfish Growers Association presents Betsy Peabody with a donation from the 2008 SLURP (Shellfish Lovers Ultimate Rejuvenation Party) Previous | Next
