Three shellfish harvesting sites in Mason County restricted due to fecal water pollution

Jared Gendron
·2 min read

On Wednesday, recreational razor clam digging on the coast began for Washington residents. But harvesting other marine wildlife, such as oysters, in Puget Sound seeing a setback.

More than a dozen areas across the state face health restrictions, and three spots in southern Puget Sound are completely excluded from harvesting due to water pollution. The culprit is fecal matter.

Washington currently has 115 shellfish growing areas statewide, but areas in Mason County aren’t up to the public health water quality standards, the Department of Health stated in a news release Wednesday. Fecal pollution has boosted levels of bacteria in some shellfish growing regions, and the department has deemed these areas unsuitable for shellfish harvesting until at least August.

The three regions include:

  • Portions of Annas Bay – Mason County

  • Hood Canal 5 in the Lilliwaup area – Mason County

  • Hood Canal 6 in the Tahuya area – Mason County

These areas met water quality standards in 2022 but were at risk for pollution, according to the department’s news release from May 2022.

In addition, more than a dozen areas in Washington, including ones in Pierce and Thurston counties, are threatened by bacterial pollution. These spots currently meet the state’s water quality standard for shellfish harvesting, though. The areas are:

  • Dungeness Bay – Challam County

  • Pacific Coast – Grays Harbor County

  • Liberty Bay – Kitsap County

  • Portions of Annas Bay – Mason County

  • Hood Canal 6 – Mason County

  • Oakland Bay – Mason County

  • Bay Center – Pacific County

  • Burley Lagoon – Pierce County

  • Henderson Bay – Pierce County

  • Vaughn Bay – Pierce County

  • Upright Channel – San Juan County

  • Port Susan – Snohomish County

  • Eld Inlet – Thurston County

  • Drayton Harbor – Whatcom County

Last year, Vaughn Bay, Port Susan and Henderson Inlet in Thurston County were closed to harvesting due to high pollution.

For more information on what sites the health department approves for recreational shellfish harvesting, check out its shellfish safety information map. The map shows what beaches are open or closed and whether the water quality is up to standard or closed due to pollution.

Reducing pollution

The department advises Washingtonians to do their part in reducing pollution by:

  • Maintaining septic systems

  • Using pump stations for boats and recreational vehicles

  • Picking up pet waste

  • Managing farm animal waste