Pacific Coast Shellfish Growers Association

In honor of the excellent and lasting contributions of Professor Kenneth K. Chew to shellfish aquaculture, an endowed professorship was established in 2004.  The School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences (SAFS) at the University of Washington is seeking candidates for a two- to six-month collaborative visit to our department beginning as early as summer 2012.  

Candidates must have a background in a scientific field related to aquaculture. The goal of this professorship is to enhance aquaculture related science via an active collaboration with one or more faculty members and graduate students within SAFS. In addition to research, candidates are expected to present a departmental seminar and provide other lectures on their scientific interest.

Located on the West Coast of Vancouver Island.  Fully Operational.  For more information please visit: www.shellfishfarmsforsale.jigsy.com

Full BMPs for Shellfish Restoration Report

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2016691559_guest07dewey.html

Final Japonica White Paper 051811

http://centralcoastwineblogs.typepad.com/central-coast-wine-blogs/2011/05/abalones-revenge-the-cayucos-abalone-farm.html

Miyagi Prefecture supplied 70 percent of Japan’s seed oysters before suffering extensive tsunami damage. Other prefectures are now scrambling to secure juvenile oysters, as summer is the season for suspending them from floats in the ocean.

Miyagi Prefecture supplied 70 percent of Japan’s seed oysters before suffering extensive tsunami damage. Other prefectures are now scrambling to secure juvenile oysters, as summer is the season for suspending them from floats in the ocean.

In Japanese mariculture, oysters are attached to lines suspended from floating bamboo or wooden rafts. The rafts allow three-dimensional use of ocean space for dense cultivation and can be moved to avoid red tides and parasite concentrations. However, they are susceptible to damage from typhoons. In Miyagi Prefecture, most rafts were sunk or carried to sea by the March 11 tsunami.

Empty oyster shells contained by wires attached to racks are used as a hard substrate or “clutch” to which floating oyster spat can attach. Oyster spat, after hardening on the racks for three months, is brought ashore. The shells (spatted clutch) are removed, placed in baskets and washed. The shells are then culled into single pieces and examined for predators. Shells with little spat are discarded.

While some seed is cultivated in hatchery operations, most of the Japanese industry is dependent on Miyagi and Hiroshima Prefectures for production of spatted clutch. When the juveniles reach a certain size, they are set out on suspended lines to mature.

Mie Prefecture, the country’s No. 2 producer of mature oysters, depended on Miyagi for 7 million juveniles yearly. To help meet the shortfall, the prefecture has allocated JPY 30 million toward raising oysters from spat at its fisheries research center. But only 200,000 juveniles will be available by July, according to the prefecture’s marine resources section. Nagasaki Prefecture is also trying to raise its own young oysters on a limited scale.

Okayama and Niigata prefectures have tried instead to procure seed from other sources, such as Hiroshima Prefecture, the second-largest producer of young oysters in Japan, but production there can only be increased incrementally.

Japanese aquaculture usually produces 200,000 metric tons in fresh meat weight of oysters annually, but the harvest of fall 2012 is likely to be off sharply due to inadequate juveniles in the coming season.

Miyagi Prefecture used to export seed oysters to the U.S. West Coast. But when France experienced a decade of oyster die-off from 1970 due to disease it turned to Japan for Pacific oysters. In response to the higher prices resulting from this increased demand, the oyster industry of Washington state, with help from Washington State University, developed its own spatted clutch production. France soon also became independent of Japanese clutch. Now, little Japanese oyster spat is exported, so the shortage should affect only the domestic market.

Story from SeafoodSource.com:
http://www.seafoodsource.com/newsarticledetail.aspx?id=10276

Published: Thursday, May 12, 2011

© SeafoodSource.com 2008 – 2010

http://www.fishfarmingxpert.com/index.php?page_id=76&article_id=91255

http://www.opb.org/programs/oregonexperience

http://today.ucf.edu/mystery-sea-creature-invading-indian-river-lagoon-threatens-oysters/

http://www.bcshellfishfestival.ca/BCSF/BC_Oyster_Shucking_Championship.html