Aquaculture America 2020

February 9 - 12, 2020

Honolulu, Hawaii

BUILDING AND MAINTAINING PUBLIC AND POLITICAL SUPPORT FOR SHELLFISH AQUACULTURE IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST

Bill Dewey
 
Taylor Shellfish Farms
130 SE Lynch Rd.
Shelton, WA 98584
billd@taylorshellfish.com
 

While  shellfish farming has been an integral part of the  rural  character and economy and in Western Washington State for over a century it is not without its detractors. Changes in industry farming practices involving  ropes, plastics ,  structures on the beaches or floating on the surface have drawn opposition from adjacent shoreline home owners. Some of the concerns raised are legitimate and others are fabricated to attempt curtail farming operations or get permits denied.  Th e conflicts have increased in recent decades as adja cent  shoreline properties have  evolved from summer cabins  and local residents who value the working waterfront and enjoy seeing the farming activities to year-round residences with new comers to the region who may or may not share those same values.

As the largest  shellfish farming business in Washington State, Taylor Shellfish Farms has had it share of detractors.  The company has a public affairs team that works to educate the public, various stakeholder groups and policy makers about shellfish aquaculture.  Much of this work is coordinated with the Pacific Coast Shellfish Growers Association and other shellfish growers.

Taylor Shellfish  Farms  employs a  multifaceted approach to  building social license.   The company used to sell 95% of  their products wholesale outside the state.  Enlightened by public opinion polling that showed them that people who eat shellfish like them more they now have three retail stores and six oyster bars under the company name,  they  sell  their products to a couple hundred local restaurants and have  the company logo and  shellfish themed  truck wraps on all their delivery trucks and semi-trailers.  They have transitioned a historic waterfront processing plant into one of their oyster bars.  At that location they have incorporated a demonstration plot and educational kiosks  where customers get to experience a working shellfish farm.  These public facing facilities are profitabl e but more importantly  that have dramatically increased public  and political support for our business.  Other company and industry efforts include  tours, beach clean up events, shellfish themed festivals, Hill walks in Washington DC and Washington State, political fundraisers and product  donations  for  ENGOs who support our efforts to protect water quality and shoreline environmental health.

Finally, Taylor Shellfish Farms strives to be a good neighbor. We are active in the communities where we farm and en courage our managers and employees to engage with neighbors and the community.