West Coast Shellfish Aquaculture – Opportunities and Challenges

Bivalve shellfish have been farmed on the U.S. West Coast for well over a century.  The industry has evolved from a wild harvest fishery of native oysters, to culture of native oysters, then the American or Eastern oyster, the Pacific oyster, the European flat oyster, the Manila clam, blue mussels and more recently over the past 20 years, the giant geoduck clam.  As the species cultivated have evolved and so have the culture methods.   Historically production relied on natural recruitment or capturing seed from the wild.  Today much of the west coast production starts with hatchery produced seed, some of which has been improved through selective breeding or in the case of oysters, made sterile for improved growth and summer marketing.  

The West Coast industry currently rears approximately $117 million worth of farmed shellfish annually while providing thousands of rural coastal jobs.  Driven by the ability to own tidelands many of which were deeded decades ago specifically for culturing shellfish, Washington dominates West Coast production.  They are followed by California, Oregon and Alaska.

Shellfish farmers face many challenges but have a number of opportunities as well.  Challenges include shoreline development adjacent to shellfish growing areas impacting water quality and increasing uses that conflict with shellfish farming.  Recently oyster seed shortages potentially linked to ocean acidification have reduced and threaten the future of West Coast oyster production.  Confusing, overlapping and inconsistent regulations are also a challenge for West Coast shellfish growers.  Opportunities include strong domestic and export market demand for farmed shellfish and emerging markets for ecosystem services.  Also encouraging are recently released draft national aquaculture policies supportive of shellfish culture and that there are some West Coast areas that are encouraging shellfish culture for the jobs, rural economic development, community building and ecosystem services.