Lummi Island Watershed Enhancement Committee has lots of fun things happening this April.
Waterstudy continues.
Stay tuned!
Lummi Island Stormwater runoff.
Here below is a letter from the Whatcom County Resources Shellfish subcommitte’s ProjectLummi Island resident letter-1
March 30, 2010
Dear Lummi Island Resident:
Re: Marine Resources Committee Clam Enhancement Projects
The Whatcom County Marine Resources Committee (MRC) was established in 1999 by the Whatcom County Council as a way for local citizens to participate and lead marine restoration and protection projects. As part of the MRC’s clam enhancement work, we would like to engage you in an exciting pilot project that will be taking place in your neighborhood, and invite your participation. The MRC plans to install two 3’x5’ clam tents along the eastern shoreline of Lummi Island. One tent will be located just north of the ferry terminal on public tidelands, and one will be located on public tidelands near the end of Blizard Road.
Similar clam tents have been used successfully on the East Coast to enhance populations of softshell clams for both recreational and commercial harvest. The goal of the MRC clam subcommittee is to enhance recreational opportunities for clam harvest along Whatcom County shorelines. The design of these tents will consist of ¼” netting attached to the substrate with steel hooks in a 3’x5’ rectangle. The netting will be slightly larger than the rectangle, and will have small floats underneath to allow it to be suspended at higher tides. This non-rigid design is intended to reduce the likelihood of kayakers or other small boat users from running into the structure, and is intended to better absorb shock from floating debris or wood. I have included an article describing various clam tent designs and information. At low tide, these tents will be very low-profile and will only be noticeable by the small floats positioned beneath the netting.
This pilot project aims to take advantage of naturally-produced clam larvae of any species that float in the water column prior to settlement into suitable habitat. This phase of the study will look at 1) the practicality of this clam tent design, and 2) the recruitment success of these tents. If this pilot project proves successful, future clam tents will be considered for other locations. These Lummi Island locations have been chosen for the pilot project as reasonably secluded locations with a lower chance of vandalism, and because there are known clam populations in the vicinity. Assuming success, future tent locations will be determined at a later time.
The tents will be installed in early April and will be removed in late summer. Beach Elementary School students will assist in pre-installation surveys to document what clams exist in the locations presently, and will also assist in future surveys to determine if clam recruitment was a success.
We are hoping you will be willing to notify us if you notice that one of the tents is damaged or needs attention. Wanda Cucinotta, a Lummi Island resident and MRC clam subcommittee member, will check the tents weekly. If you would be willing to notify us if you see anything amiss between her checks, it would be greatly appreciated.
Please contact me at 360-676-6876, or mroberts@co.whatcom.wa.us for more information about the MRC or clam tents in general, or call Wanda at 360-758-2272 or 360-220-3077 to notify her of any attention needed to the tents.
Sincerely, Melissa Roberts
Whatcom County Public Works – Natural Resources
Whatcom County Marine Resources Committee
322 N. Commercial St., Ste. 110
Bellingham, WA 98225
Phone: 360-676-6876
Fax 360-738-2468
Lummi Island Watershed Enhancement Committee 