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Shellfish logo used by permission, courtesy of the Pacific Coast Shellfish Growers Association (PCSGA). Website hosted by:
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Drayton Harbor Shellfish Protection District
Drayton Harbor Shellfish Status 1995 Drayton Harbor Shellfish Status 1999
Formation of Shellfish Protection DistrictThe Drayton Harbor Shellfish Protection District was formed by the Whatcom County Council in 1995 after the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) prohibited harvesting of shellfish (oysters, clams, and mussels) in portions of Drayton Harbor due to deteriorating water quality. In 1999, the entire harbor was downgraded to a "Prohibited" status for shellfish harvesting. Conditional Reopening in June 2004Due to improvements in water quality, DOH conditionally reopened the main commercial and recreational shellfish beds to harvesting in May 2004. With the "Conditional Approval", a portion of the harbor was open to shellfish harvesting with the exception of temporary closures following large rainfall events. Initially, there was a five-day closure to harvesting following 1/2 inch of precipitation in 24 hours. In 2006, the temporary closure was adjusted to a six-day closure following 3/4 inch of precipitation in 24 hours. The May 2004 Sanitary Survey provides more information about the reclassification. Current StatusHowever, while much progress has been made to address sources of bacteria in the watershed, DOH recently implemented a seasonal closure in Drayton Harbor in 2010 due to declining water quality during the wet season. The conditional approval area was closed to shellfish harvest between the months of November and February of each year. The July 2010 Sanitary Survey provides details about these changes to management of the conditional approval area. In 2013, DOH determined that the seasonal closure period could be reduced to November through January due to improved water quality in February.
Recent Projects and ReportsShellfish Recovery Plan and Activities2007 Status Report and Recovery Plan Annual Reports to DOH Drayton Harbor TMDL StudyMicrobial Source Tracking ProjectsPhase 2 MST Pilot Project Report Phase 1 MST Pilot Project Report California Creek Monitoring Project
Whatcom County Public Works- Natural Resources Last Updated 05/20/13 |
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