May is a big month for this geoduck farm planned for Pierce County. Here’s what to know
May will be a fateful month for the long-proposed Burley Lagoon Geoduck Farm.
Three public meetings will position permit approval/denial recommendations, one of which is among the few remaining opportunities for public testimony.
Commercial aquaculture in Burley Lagoon and geoduck conversion
The Burley Lagoon stretches 358 acres and is separated from Henderson Bay by the Purdy Bridge and Purdy Sand Spit Park. This separation frequently reprieves the lagoon from whitecapped waves when the tide flows in. When the tide is low, the lagoon becomes a mudflat, providing food for shorebirds – and humans.
Commercial shellfish aquaculture in Burley Lagoon isn’t a new concept. It has been active in the lagoon for nearly a century, dating back to the Bush Act of 1895. The 25.5 acres of shellfish aquaculture tidelands at hand are privately-owned by Yamashita family-held companies Western Oyster Properties and Stout Property Investment.
In 2012, Taylor Shellfish signed a lease to take over the management and operation of the Manila clam and Pacific oyster commercial aquaculture in Burley Lagoon. Both forms of aquaculture have permits under the 1988 version of Pierce County’s Shoreline Master Program.
Conversion concerns
When management changed in 2012, area residents began to have concerns about the method and materials used for clam and oyster aquaculture, as well as their environmental, recreation, and community impacts. These worries include (but aren’t limited to) wildlife impacts, debris from commercial activities, noise and light impacts during nighttime harvesting, and the ability to safely recreate on the waters and shoreline.
In 2014 when Taylor Shellfish applied to Pierce County to convert the existing aquaculture tidelands to geoduck culture, residents’ concern rose significantly.
If converted to a geoduck farm, grids of PVC pipe would be added to the acreage to protect the growing geoducks and create a “nursey.” The pipes would be visible at low tide, sticking up a few inches out of the mud. Planting would be done in phases throughout the geoducks’ six-year growth cycle in a patchwork of plots, with tubes used the first two to three years of growth.
According to the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS), this could mean approximately 37,026 tubes per acre during the early stages of their growth. A response to public comment in the FEIS notes that the approaches proposed would use two plots within the 25.5-acre site rather than the full site as a nursey.
Additionally, mesh nets would be draped over shellfish beds to protect them from predators. The geoducks would also be harvested differently from oysters and clams, using pressurized water to liquefy the surrounding mud and allow for easy removal.
When the permits were submitted, the county also had uncertainties. The 25.5-acre site would be larger than other geoduck farms in the county. The known impacts of this size of geoduck farm in the south Puget Sound are limited.
Environmental Impact Statement
To answer the question of impact, and per the State Environmental Policy Act review, Taylor Shellfish submitted an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) application with Pierce County in December 2015. This began the years-long process to determine what environmental, social, and economic impacts the farm would have, and to analyze what could be done to avoid, mitigate, or satisfactorily manage these impacts. A public comment period was included.
It’s worth noting, the completion of an EIS doesn’t mean permits will be granted, but an EIS is considered by permit decision makers prior to granting said permits.
The Draft EIS (DEIS) was released in October 2021 with a public comment period that was extended by request.
A little over a year later, the FEIS was finally released on Jan. 6.
It concluded: “Conversion … would not represent a significant change in terms of effects on biological resources or ecological function compared to existing aquaculture operations. Other than biological or ecological issues, the primary effects of interest to residents around Burley Lagoon are the visual appearance (aesthetics) of geoduck culture plots when nursery gear is present (including debris); nighttime noise, light and glare during planting, maintenance, and harvest activities; and potential recreational conflicts with nursey tubes and predator exclusion netting.”
On Jan. 20, a combined appeal was made by the Coalition to Protect the Puget Sound Habitat, Friends of Burley Lagoon, Tahoma Audubon Society, and Friends of Pierce County.
Next steps and how to comment
The Key Peninsula Land Use Advisory Commission (KPAC) and Gig Harbor Peninsula Land Use Advisory Commission (PAC) will consider the proposal, DEIS, FEIS, and public testimony for a recommendation to deny or approve the shoreline permits.
Because an appeal was filed, the Pierce County Hearing Examiner will also be considering the permit application at a later date alongside the KPAC and PAC recommendations and FEIS appeal itself.
The Hearing Examiner will have final say for the county if the shoreline permits, and the FEIS appeal, are approved or denied. The hearing is anticipated to take place in the second half of 2023.
The first meeting will be a joint KPAC and PAC meeting on Monday, May 22 with a presentation from Taylor Shellfish on the proposal. Most importantly, public testimony is welcome.
While the other two meetings are open to the public, this will be the only meeting to share an opinion.
Notably, the meeting is also a great way to learn more about the proposal and hear other residents’ concerns to help shape an informed opinion on the proposal.
Whether you’re a resident near the Burley Lagoon, have recreated in or around Purdy, or generally care about the issue, public input is critical to shaping the future of our area. Decision makers need to hear from locals to know what they care about. And no matter the final decision, speaking up about the issues we care about will always be critical.
Carly Vester has been writing an environmental column for The Peninsula Gateway since 2019. Her storytelling focuses on the intersection of people and the outdoors — from adventures across the west, to our environment and the rich history surrounding it. Her documentary films have screened internationally and her writing has been published locally and regionally.
