Pacific Coast Shellfish Growers Association

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Pacific Coast Shellfish Growers Association
Developing an Environmental Management System for
the Pacific Coast Shellfish Industry
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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

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The Pacific Coast Shellfish Industry

• Since 1830
• Shellfish farming
• One of the West Coasts oldest agricultural
  industry

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PCSGA

• Representing farmers of Molluscan Shellfish

Oysters Pacifics Kumamotos Euro. Flats
Olympias
Mussels Mediterranean Blues
Clams Manilas Littlenecks
Scallops
Geoduck
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The ChallengesCompetition and Conflicts

• Gentrification of the Shoreline
• Recreational Users
• Environmental concerns (All human activity is
  BAD)
• Consumer demand for sustainability

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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

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Our Response The Environmental Management
System

• Environmental Policy (The mission statement)
• Environmental Codes of Practice
• Compliance and Monitoring System

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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)

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The Environmental Policy The Foundation

• Environmental Stewardship and Responsible
  Management
• Environmental Excellence
• Regulatory Compliance
• Waste Management
• Sharing Resources
• Published June 2001

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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

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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

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Grass-Roots Process

• Nine Regional Committees
• Alaska, Washington, Oregon, California
• Established EMS Steering Committee
• Chair of each Regional Committee

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EMS Process

• Series of Grower Workshops and
• EMS Steering Committee meetings
• 1) Introductory
• 2) Environmental Policy development
• 3) First draft Environmental Codes of
  Practice
• 4) Another draft Environmental Codes of
  Practice
• Timeline August 2000 to June 2002

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External Review

• Legal review of final draft
• Review by selected representatives
• SeaGrant Marine Extension agents
• Restore Americas Estuaries
• People for Puget Sound
• States Departments of Fish and Wildlife/Game
  Natural Resources, Ecology, Agriculture
• NMFS, USFWS, Army Corps

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Post-Publication

• Final Round of Regional Workshops in August 2002
• Individual Farm Plan Workshop at Annual
  Conference, September 2002

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EMS Compliance and Monitoring

• Step 1 Build Critical Mass
• Motivate growers to develop Farm Plans
• Step 2 Monitoring System
• Internal Review
• External Review

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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)?

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Possible Third-Party Review Systems

• Hire independent auditor
• Challenges
• -- Accountable to who?
• -- Whos qualified and credible?
• -- Expensive
• Sign on to existing program such as Marine
  Stewardship Councils Eco-label or GAA
  Sustainability certification
• Challenges
• -- Nothing set up for molluscan shellfish
  aquaculture at present
• -- Expensive

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Set up Independent Review Body? Possible
Participants

• Industry
• Regulatory agencies (MOUs?)
• Researchers
• Environmental Groups
• Challenges
• Set up time?
• Cost?
• Buy-in?

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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

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Ultimate GoalsProtect the Environment and Stay
in Business

• Foundation for Regulatory Certainty
• Foundation for Assuring Best Environmental
  Practices
• Marketing Tool