Washington State Conservation Commission Shellfish Program

Washington State Conservation Commission Shellfish Program is sponsored by Washington State Conservation Commission (SCC). This program invests in projects voluntarily installed by conservation districts and landowners to build cumulative results for shellfish recovery.

It's conservation district election time! Click here to learn how you can vote in your CD. Conservation District Resources What is the Shellfish Program?

The Washington State Conservation Commission (SCC) Shellfish Program uses a targeted approach to invest in projects voluntarily installed by conservation districts and landowners that build cumulative results for shellfish recovery. Priority is given to “project clusters” within a watershed or stream reach where there’s a water quality concern.

Pollutants flowing into Puget Sound and the Pacific coast periodically cause shellfish growing areas to close. These closures threaten our state’s shellfish industry – which generates an estimated 2,700 jobs and over $70 million in labor income per year – and our obligation to provide shellfish for tribal harvest.

Our Shellfish Program helps fund voluntary, watershed-based efforts that are proven-effective at improving water quality and re-opening shellfish growing areas. The program also supports Governor Inslee’s Shellfish Initiative and the Puget Sound Action Agenda strategic initiative to recover shellfish beds. Conservation districts in watersheds that drain to recreational or commercial shellfish beds.

For guidance on what makes a competitive project for shellfish funding, contact your regional manager. Program quick facts and accomplishments Program funds supports manure management, livestock exclusion, stream restoration, and other projects that improve water quality in shellfish areas.

In fiscal year 2019 alone, conservation districts assisted landowners with 150 projects that help protect water quality in areas where shellfish are grown and/or harvested. Conservation districts have used Shellfish Program funding for projects that were part of efforts that resulted in the upgrade of thousands of acres of shellfish growing areas in Dungeness Bay, Birch Bay, and Drayton Harbor.

Video: Clallam Conservation District used Shellfish Program funding as part of a voluntary, community-driven effort that resulted in shellfish beds re-opening in Dungeness Bay.

2019-21 Program Accomplishments “The two years of planning, preparation, tear down, rebuilding, and completion of the heavy use area was a wonderful experience… Working together makes our creeks cleaner, our environment healthier, and the planet better for generations to come.

” – Jeff Stokes, Kitsap County farmer on his experience working with Kitsap Conservation District to install best management practices Eligibility and program guidelines Conservation districts with a service area that includes watersheds or stream reaches that flow into shellfish growing areas are eligible for Shellfish Program funding. View the current program guidelines.

Riparian Grant Program Mid-Biennium Funding Opens May 8 – Materials Now Available Apply by June 1: RPPP Limited Grant Opportunity for Holding Site Maintenance Public Comment is open for the Grants & Contracts Manual Regional Manager - Southwest Check back later for releases about this program Funding for this project is ongoing. Please contact your regional manager for more information.

Check out these files and publications relating to the Shellfish grant program. Find videos and trainings from this program. Success Stories from this Grant Program Clallam Conservation District Reopening shellfish beds in Dungeness Bay Between 2000-03, over 1,700 acres of shellfish harvest area in Dungeness Bay were downgraded due to bacterial pollution.

Today, thanks to a voluntary and community-driven effort to identify and correct sources of water pollution, the Bay has seen improvements and re-openings of shellfish harvest areas.