The Feasibility and Economic Potential of Geoduck Aquaculture in Neah Bay, Washington

Abstract

"The geoduck clam, Panopea abrupta, is an economically important species and mainly cultured in the Southern Puget Sound of Washington State. There are no examples of intertidal geoduck aquaculture in Neah Bay. Since 2011, the Makah Fisheries Management (MFM) has started a pilot project supported by the United States Department of Agriculture Rural Business Enterprise Grant (USDA-RBEG). The MFM aquaculture practice and results showed that the Neah Bay beaches are feasible for intertidal geoduck aquaculture, and have the proper conditions to produce high quality geoduck clams. As compared to finfish culture, there is little environmental concern for geoduck aquaculture due to the natural seawater fluctuation (no artificial feeding) and the intertidal nature (no genetic mixing). This advantage provides the opportunity for community members of all backgrounds to partake in the aquaculture process, with low investment costs for establishing a family-based geoduck farming business. Overall, the high market value and the economic potential make geoduck aquaculture an ideal candidate in development of remote and rural areas along the Washington coast."