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Shellfish Program
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Program level:
State
Provider:
Washington State Conservation Commission
Benefits provided:
Financial
Land use:
Agriculture
Water-focused program:
Yes
Improve water quality within the watershed for shellfish in the Puget Sound and Pacific coast.
Overview
Description:
Projects voluntarily installed by conservation districts and landowners that build cumulative results for shellfish recovery. Pollutants flowing into Puget Sound and the Pacific coast periodically cause shellfish growing areas to close. These closures threaten our state’s shellfish industry – which generates an estimated 2,700 jobs and over $70 million in labor income per year – and our obligation to provide shellfish for tribal harvest.
The Shellfish Program helps fund voluntary, watershed-based efforts that are proven-effective at improving water quality and re-opening shellfish growing areas.
Eligibility:
Projects must improve water quality in shellfish areas.
(A private landowner must work with their local conservation district to apply. Find your local conservation district using the "local service" button below.)
Financial benefit:
Funding for projects including manure management, livestock exclusion, stream restoration, and other projects
Contact information
Information last updated on July 15, 2025.
Planning Importance
Developing a forest, agricultural, or conservation plan helps identify and prioritize objectives for landowners. These objectives can determine what type programs to search for. Supporting organizations in your area often provide free consultation and planning.
Landscape Characteristics
See how your land fits into the broader context of regional conservation, ecosystem services, and working lands' values across the landscape through our interactive mapper tool. It could help you determine which program is a good fit for you!
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