April 21, 2015 — A new permit issued by the Washington Department of Ecology will allow shellfish growers to use a nicotine-like pesticide to combat a growing native population of burrowing shrimp that threaten valuable shellfish beds in Willapa Bay and Grays Harbor. However, some locals and environmentalists say the pesticide, Imidacloprid, will do more harm than good.
The shellfish industry is huge in the Pacific Northwest, injecting an estimated $270 million or more into the region’s economy, according to NOAA. It supplies thousands of people with jobs. Washington’s tidelands — especially those in Willapa Bay — have been particularly productive for more than 100 years.
Burrowing shrimp undermine this industry, shellfish growers say. The creatures do exactly what their name suggests: they burrow into shellfish beds, making the beds too soft for shellfish cultivation. Their burrowing churns the tidelands into a sticky muck, smothering the oysters.
“The shellfish industry is a key economic contributor in Washington’s coastal areas and, by issuing this permit, we can help protect the economic vitality of these family businesses for years to come,” said Sally Toteff, director for Ecology’s Southwest Region, in a statement April 16.