A hearing for a proposal to place a 9 acre floating oyster structure in Oakland Bay, within a 50 acre project area, has been moved to June 14 at 1pm. Concerns already expressed include risks to Orca which regularly visit Oakland Bay; visual impacts; navigational hazards created; and, cumulative impacts. Notice of the rescheduled Hearing as well as Army Corps' comment request is below.
MASON COUNTY NOTICE: Shellfish hearing moved to June 14
The Taylor Shellfish proposed floating oyster bag proposal in Oakland Bay has been moved to 1 p.m. June 14 at Mason County Building 1 in Shelton.
According to the agenda on the hearing examiner’s website, Taylor Shellfish is applying for a shoreline substantial development and shoreline conditional use permit to grow Pacific oysters and install a floating oyster bag system in Oakland Bay. The system will use an estimated 9.1 acres of surface water within a 50-acre area for the floating oyster gear.
Also seeking public comment is the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Seattle. The organization posted a public notice May 19 for the Department of Army Permit for Taylor Shellfish’s floating oyster bag farm.
According to a flyer mailed out by the Corps of Engineers, Taylor Shellfish is proposing to install and maintain 30 pairs of synthetic rope lines, each pair 1,800 feet long, across 9.1 subtidal acres of Oakland Bay. Rope line pairs would connect the tops and bottoms of a row of plastic mesh bags with each bag between a pair of floats above and below the bag. Rope line pairs will be arranged 20 to 30 feet apart across the 50-acre site.The bag will be used for oyster seed and oyster growing cultivation and the purpose of the project is to provide shellfish to eat, according to the flyer.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Seattle District has posted the public notice for review and comment at: https://www.nws.usace.army.mil/Portals/27/docs/regulatory2/Public%20Notices/2023/NWS-2023-0305-AQ-PN.pdf
If you wish to comment and do not have internet access and would like to request a paper copy of the notice, contact Rory Lee at 206-427-0732. Comments must be received by June 18.
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