Pacific Shellfish Institute

Project Abstract Purpose: New and Existing Shellfish Farms Must Comply With Local, State and Federal Regulations That Evaluate Potential Effects to the Environment. Shellfish Aquaculture Businesses and Natural Resource Managers Have Identified the Need for More Research Characterizing How Shellfish Farms Interact With the Environment, Including Protected and Commercially Important Species. Activities to Be Performed: the Proposed Research Will Document Biological Variability and Behavior of Native Species Using Pacific Coast Shellfish Farms Across Seasons, Aquaculture Types and Growing Regions Using a Multi-methods Approach. the Project Team Will Leverage Video Data Collected Previously by the Project Team on Oyster Farms in Washington, Oregon and California and Collect New Data on Farms in Washington and Alaska Using Time Lapse Video, Edna Metabarcoding, Acoustic Telemetry and Observations From Shellfish Farms Using a Survey Tool. These Methods Will Enable Collection or Observations of a Wide Variety of Organisms Including Species of Fish, Crab, Birds and Marine Mammals, Utilizing Different Types of Shellfish Farms Compared to Uncultivated Reference Habitats. Functional Use of Shellfish Farms by Animals Observed on Video Will Be Described Using Behavior Categories (transiting, Foraging and Resting). in Addition, Acoustic Telemetry Studies in Puget Sound, Wa Will Shed Light on Migratory Fish Species Use of Nearshore Estuarine Habitat With and Without Shellfish Aquaculture. This Study Will Track Tagged Individuals Over the Course of 1 Year, Providing Critical Insights Into the Early Life Stages of Pacific Salmonid Species and Specific Spatio-temporal Associations With Habitat and Other Environmental Variables. Collectively, Planned Research Studies Support Shellfish Aquaculture Businesses With Regulatory Compliance in the Current Permitting Framework. Public Perceptions of Shellfish Aquaculture Can Vary by Region and May Not Always Be in Favor of Proposed Expansions. Most Shellfish Farms Are Within the Viewshed of Residents and the Public. the Project Team Will Develop Communication Tools and Strategies for Shellfish Producers to Engage With Their Stakeholders to Promote Positive Benefits of Shellfish Farms. These Resources Will Be Available Online and Distributed Broadly Through National and Regional Shellfish Networks and Associations. to Improve Aquaculture Literacy of Residents in Communities With Shellfish Aquaculture, Pacific Shellfish Institute and Washington Sea Grant Will Co-create and Pilot Classroom Lessons and Activities for Middle and High School Students (6-12TH Grade) Focused on Ecosystem Services of Shellfish Farms. Educational Programs Delivered During the Project Period Will Be Free of Charge. Lessons and Related Materials Will Be Made Publicly Available Online at Www.pacshell.org and Disseminated Through Regional Summer Teacher Training Workshops and to Marine Science Educators at an Annual Conference. Expected Outcomes: Gaining Support From the Community Is a Necessity for Long-term Business Success. Communicating How Shellfish Farms Interact With the Environment Can Foster Public Awareness, Build Trust and Inform Consumers, Who Can in Turn Support Aquaculture Development in Their Community. Furthermore, This Project Will Advance Relevant Methods to Characterize How Shellfish Farms Interact With the Environment, Filling Identified Information Gaps and Enabling More Efficient Regulation. Intended Beneficiaries: Shellfish Aquaculture Businesses, Natural Resource Managers and Communities Associated With Shellfish Farms. Subrecipient Activities: a Subcontract Will Be Administered to Project Partner Wild Salmon Center to Support Acoustic Tracking Equipment Costs and Salary Staff Time for Co-pi James Losee to Assist Our Study Team With Acoustic Tracking Fish Studies, Data Interpretation, Analysis and Manuscript Preparation.