Pacific Coast Shellfish Growers

Association

Developing an Environmental Management System for the

Pacific Coast Shellfish Industry

Developing an Environmental Management System

• Brief background on Pacific Coast shellfish industry and PCSGA

• Challenges faced by the industry• EMS as proactive solution to

challenges• Components of EMS and the

Environmental Codes• Process utilized to develop EMS/Codes• On the ground implementation

The Pacific Coast Shellfish Industry

Since 1830…Shellfish farming: One of the West Coast’s oldest agricultural industry

PCSGA…Representing farmers of Molluscan

Shellfish:

Geoduck

Oysters: Pacifics Kumamotos Euro. Flats Olympias

Mussels: Mediterranean Blues Scallops

Clams: Manilas Littlenecks

The Challenges:Competition and Conflicts

• “Gentrification” of the Shoreline

• Recreational Users• Environmental

concerns (“All human activity is BAD”)

• Consumer demand for ‘sustainability’

Increasing Regulations

• Endangered Species Act• “Critical Habitat” (Magnuson Stevens

Act)• Marine Mammal Protection Action• Clean Water Act• Army Corps • State and Local ordinances and

regulations

Our Response: The Environmental Management

System

• Environmental Policy (The mission statement)

• Environmental Codes of Practice

• Compliance and Monitoring System

Funding:

• The funds to develop the Environmental Policy were partially provided by a consortium of the West Coast Sea Grant Marine Extension offices, managed by U.W. ($30,000)

• The funds to develop the Environmental Codes of Practice provided through a grant with DOC/NOAA/SeaGrant ($98,800)

The Environmental Policy =

The Foundation

• Environmental Stewardship and Responsible Management

• Environmental Excellence• Regulatory Compliance • Waste Management• Sharing Resources

Published June 2001

Environmental Codes of Practice

• Identification of existing federal, state and local regulations

• Identification of best available science (Bibliography/Webliography)

• Identification of current cultivation methods and best management practices

• Individual Farm Management Plan templates

Published June 2002

ECOP Chapters:• Overview of industry• Environmental Health Impacts • General Management Principles• Pest and Predator Control • Hatchery and Nursery Operations• Species Specific Operations• Processing and Shipping • Compliance and Monitoring• Shellfish Industry Regulations: Federal,

State, Local• Research Bibliography and References• Farm Plan Templates

Grass-Roots Process

• Nine Regional Committees:Alaska, Washington, Oregon, California

• Established EMS Steering Committee:Chair of each Regional Committee

EMS Process…• Series of Grower Workshops and

EMS Steering Committee meetings1) Introductory2) Environmental Policy

development3) First draft Environmental Codes of

Practice4) Another draft: Environmental

Codes of Practice• Timeline: August 2000 to June 2002

External Review:

• Legal review of “final” draft • Review by selected representatives:

– SeaGrant Marine Extension agents

– Restore America’s Estuaries– People for Puget Sound– States’ Departments of Fish and

Wildlife/Game; Natural Resources, Ecology, Agriculture

– NMFS, USFWS, Army Corps

Post-Publication:

• Final Round of Regional Workshops in August 2002

• Individual Farm Plan Workshop at Annual Conference, September 2002

EMS Compliance and Monitoring

Step 1: Build Critical Mass• Motivate growers to develop Farm

PlansStep 2: Monitoring System• Internal Review• External Review

Internal Review

• Growers urged to file completed Farm Plans with PCSGA

• Random Farm Audits conducted by…. – EMS Committee?– Board of Directors?– Selected Internal Review Committee?– Independent auditor (industry expert)?

Possible Third-Party Review Systems:

• Hire independent auditor Challenges:

-- Accountable to who?-- Who’s qualified and credible?-- Expensive

• Sign on to existing program such as Marine Stewardship Council’s Eco-label or GAA Sustainability certificationChallenges:-- Nothing set up for molluscan shellfish aquaculture at present-- Expensive

Set up Independent Review Body?

Possible Participants• Industry• Regulatory agencies (MOUs?)• Researchers• Environmental Groups

Challenges:• Set up time?• Cost?• Buy-in?

Using the EMS as a Regulatory Tool

• Foundation for working with regulatory agencies on:– Army Corps of Engineers Regional

General Permit– Consultation under Endangered

Species Act with NMFS and USFWS– State and Local Regulatory bodies

Ultimate Goals:Protect the Environment and Stay in

Business

• Foundation for Regulatory Certainty

• Foundation for Assuring Best Environmental Practices

• Marketing Tool