Not all tidelands are equal.
See Public Notice of application here:
Send comments to: Tony Kantas at kantast@co.thurston.wa.us
(see Public Notice for additional contact information)
Intensive commercial development
should not be permitted in residential areas
on tidelands NOT purchased for aquaculture.
Zangle Cove, Thurston County
A residential community with tidelands
shared by everyone for generations.
If you order today I'll include shipping and handling.
Mr. and Mrs. Sohn have created a LLC ("Pacific Northwest Aquaculture", formed in December of 2013) through which they have submitted a permit application for a geoduck farm in Zangle Cove. Their consultant, ACERA, who bills themselves as a firm providing services for a "competitive quote" with a "current special offer" of $200 off their already low price, details in the application what the Sohn's intend to do. Who will be doing it is not explained, something of importance as the Sohn's have no apparent experience in aquaculture, let alone geoduck operations.
Whose tidelands are they and where are they located?
Are those stakes out there a mistake?
In mid-2014 stakes appeared in the middle of Zangle Cove, the result of a survey. Residents immediately began questioning why the stakes were placed where they were and for what reason. Explanations from the surveyor fell flat and it quickly became apparent the survey being done was not based on accurate information. As seen in the notes on the "Tideland Survey Plan View" above, the plan submitted is based on a "we think it's ours" assumption. Surveys are not supposed to be "it's close enough for government work." Project plans submitted on questionable data should be rejected.
That BE looks familiar.
ACERA was recently noted for its involvement with an unpermitted geoduck farm near Poulsbo. There, Scott Kimmel with New Day Fisheries "didn't know" he was supposed to get permits He has since withdrawn his attempt to obtain an after-the-fact permit, using ACERA. In south Puget Sound, ACERA was used in the Wheeler geoduck permitting process. The amount of cut-and-paste from the Wheeler Biological Evaluation to the Sohn's Biological Evaluation should make regulators look closely at what is being provided.
"There is currently no commercial aquaculture,
but Zangle Cove was a historic shellfish farming area for oysters."
ACERA, page 9
Application to purchase the Sohn tidelands
from the state says that's not why they were purchased.
(click to enlarge)
Not all tidelands are equal - "Not suitable for the cultivation of oysters."
Of particular focus for regulators is just why these tidelands in Zangle Cove were purchased in the first place and what they have been used for since. The shellfish industry would have all believe that the only reason tidelands were purchased in Puget Sound was for aquaculture. This is far from the truth. In fact, it can be safely said that the majority of tidelands were not purchased for aquaculture. Especially the type of aquaculture being proposed by the Sohn's and described by ACERA. There is no commercial "historic shellfish farming" which has occurred in this residential cove of the type being proposed. These tidelands in Zangle Cove were purchased for the benefit of upland owners to ensure access to water at low tide. It clearly states on the application to purchase the tidelands they "are NOT suitable for the cultivation of oysters" which clearly proves they were not purchased for aquaculture then, nor were they ever intended to be.
Get involved: The shellfish industry is and they will say anything to obtain access to tidelands for commercial shellfish production.
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