Ecosystem Services
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On the Farm
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Improve Water Quality
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Learn more about how shellfish can improve water quality and provide important habitat for other marine organisms.
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What does it take to be a shellfish farmer? Watch this video on the ins and outs of growing and harvesting shellfish in Puget Sound.
Watch Video.
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Learn 5 simple steps you can take to improve water quality in your area. Learn more...
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Project Highlights |
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Regional Eelgrass/Shellfish Consortia
In collaboration with shellfish farms along the west coast, we will assess the interaction of eelgrass with various oyster culture systems, and the ecological functions of these habitats for managed fish and invertebrate species.
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Pacific Oyster Mortality
Significant summer mortality events have occurred with increasing frequency and severity over the past sixty years. These events affect both triploid and dipoloid oysters often during the second year of growout when they near market size.
Learn more...
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Rock Scallop Biotoxin Monitoring
Our team assessed rock scallop uptake, tissue concentration and depuration trends of naturally occuring toxins that can cause Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP) and Diarrhetic Shellfish Poisoning (DSP) in humans.
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Growing Native Sea Cucumbers
PSI and partners are developing polyculture methods for the native, giant red sea cucumber, Parastichopus californicus as a nutrient recycler and promising species for U.S. export.
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Tracking Shellfish Production
U.S. west coast shellfish production accounts for two-thirds of all bivalve aquaculture sales and exceeds $128 million a year, with Washington accounting for 85% of the commercial product..
Learn more...
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Contact Us
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Visit our contact page for general inquiries, location information, and for individual staff email.
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DRONES FOR AQUACULTURE |
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Let's Fly! PSI Drone Services 2025:
Perspective is everything! Get a bird’s eye view of your shellfish farm courtesy of PSI this season, supported by the S3AM project! PSI has 2 licensed drone pilots, offering free services for farms in WA and OR. Please contact our team for details and logistics.
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REPORT SHELLFISH MORTALITY |
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FREE Services for Shellfish Farmers
PSI has developed a simple Shellfish Mortality Reporting Form. Voluntary reporting of shellfish mortalities is an important source of information for tracking direct impacts of mortality events. A pdf copy of the form is also available!
Funding is available to cover the cost of diagnostic screening for shellfish farms in WA, OR, CA, and AK. Click here to learn more. |
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LIGHT TRAP MONITORING |
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Where are the Dungeness Crab in South Puget Sound?
Follow our team of biologists April - September as we monitor for larval crab at the Zittel's marina light trap! Learn more here... |
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DISCOVER PLANKTON KITS |
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Now available to check out from the Olympia, Lacey and Tumwater Timberland Libraries!
 Click here to learn more about these lendable kits.
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NEW PUBLICATIONS |
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Click here to review available documents, organzied by topic.
Boardman, F. C. & Ruesink, J. L. Lewis, 2025. Eelgrass (Zostera marina) Recovery Affected by Disturbance Timing on Mechanically Harvested Oyster Culture Beds Estuaries and Coasts, 48(32), 1-12.
Ruesink, J. L., Houle, K., Kroeker, K. J., Dumbauld, B. R., Boardman, F. C., Lewis, N. S., McIntyre, B. A., Suhrbier, A. D. & Hudson, B. 2024. Intraspecific variation in resilience traits of eelgrass across intertidal stress gradients and oyster aquaculture methods. Frontiers in Marine Science, 11, 1427595.
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