Washington Sea Grant is offering “Shellfish in Your Front Yard,” a day-long workshop that will teach participants to identify, cultivate and safely harvest shellfish on their beaches.
This free workshop is scheduled for Saturday, May 15, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.at Griffin Fire Department Headquarters, 3707 Steamboat Loop N.W., Olympia.
Participants will learn about the biology of bivalve shellfish, which shellfish grow best on their beach type, and various methods for enhancing tidelands with clams, oysters and mussels. The workshop will also focus on ways to protect water quality so that harvested shellfish will be safe to eat.
Workshop instructors include local shellfish farmers and Washington Sea Grant staff. The workshop will feature classroom and on-the-beach activities. Participants should bring sack lunches, wear mud boots or beach shoes and dress for the weather.
Space is limited, and pre-registration is required. To register or for more information, contact Teri King or Janis McNeal, Washington Sea Grant, at wsgcanal@u.washington.edu or 360-432-3054.
Funding for the Bivalves for Clean Water program is provided in part through EPA Grant Number C9-00044905 to the Washington Department of Ecology from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The Department of Ecology allocates and administers funding for this project. Based at the University of Washington, Washington Sea Grant provides statewide marine research, outreach, and education services. The National Sea Grant College Program is part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), U.S.Department of Commerce. http://www.wsg.washington.edu/