Our mission is to protect the habitat of Puget Sound tidelands from the underregulated expansion of new and intensive shellfish aquaculture methods. These methods were never anticipated when the Shoreline Management Act was passed. They are transforming the natural tideland ecosystems in Puget Sound and are resulting in a fractured shoreline habitat. In South Puget Sound much of this has been done with few if any meaningful shoreline permits and with limited public input. It is exactly what the Shoreline Management Act was intended to prevent.

Get involved and contact your elected officials to let them you do not support aquaculture's industrial transformation of Puget Sound's tidelands.

Governor Inslee:

Tuesday, July 8, 2014

Deep Minus Tides July 9 - 16 and Warm Weather This Weekend

Update 7/10: Washington has recommended shellfish growers not harvest shellfish during the upcoming minus tides and warm temperatures. Presumably they also suggest recreational harvesting also not occur, or if so, precautions are taken to avoid contracting vibriosis. (see here for July 3 general safety suggestions)

(See end of post for tide table and weather forecast.)

Healthy starfish in south Puget Sound, 2013

Are starfish still dying off?
Deep minus tides begin on Wednesday with Saturday's -3.4 at noon being the lowest of July. Warm temperatures will make for a great weekend to get out and explore the lower intertidal area to see habitat and species submerged 90% of their lives. It will also be another opportunity to see whether starfish populations are continuing to decline from Sea Star Wasting Syndrome.

Same beach, 2014


Shellfish warning
The minus tides, coupled with unseasonably hot weather will increase the possibility of Vibrio parahaemolyticus bacteria in shellfish, especially oysters. The Department of Health does not recommend consumption of raw oysters during the summer months. Those harvesting shellfish for raw consumption should consider this warning from DOH shellfish safety website: 

Vibrio is destroyed by cooking shellfish to an internal temperature of 145° F for 15 seconds.
Eat only well-cooked shellfish, especially in summer months. Do not consider shellfish to be fully cooked when the shells just open; they need to cook longer to reach 145° F.
When harvesting:
  • Just before you leave, check for closures due to vibrio, biotoxins, and pollution at our Shellfish Safety website, by contacting your local health department, or by calling our biotoxin hotline at 1-800-562-5632.
  • Harvest shellfish as soon as possible with the receding tide.
  • Don't harvest shellfish that have been exposed to the sun for more than one hour (less in really hot weather).
  • Keep shellfish cold after harvesting.
  • More shellfish safety tips 
Tide tables and forecast
Enjoy the weather, enjoy the low tide, and be safe.

Minus tides for the weekend of July 12 and 13
(Olympia times)
(from Dairiki.org)

8 day forecast for Shelton, WA
(from weather.com)


Posted by Protect Our Shoreline at 11:46 AM
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