SCH Number 2026020306

Project Info

Title

Humboldt Bay Oyster Company Shellfish Farm

Description

Humboldt Bay Oyster Company (HBOC) currently farms Pacific oysters (Crassostrea gigas) and Kumamoto oysters (Magallana sikimea) to maturity as well as Manila clams (Venerupis philippinarum) for seed in Humboldt Bay, California. The farm was established in 1978 and HBOC purchased it from Kuiper Mariculture in 2002. The proposed project seeks approval for (1) its existing FLUPSY, raft culture, and rack and bag culture methods within existing 17.8 acre farming area, (2) farming within two proposed expansion areas near-by (3.1-acre Expansion Area 1 and 10.8-acre Expansion Area 2), and (3) the use of an additional intertidal culture method known as “Longline Culture”. A FLUPSY is a raft consisting of a series of bins containing shellfish seed suspended into the water and an electric paddle wheel to move water through the bins to create “upwelling” that is beneficial to growth of shellfish seed. The species they currently farm are already abundantly cultured in Humboldt Bay. The proposed intertidal longline culture method involves using either SEAPA-type culture baskets or tipping bags. These systems may be deployed with or without floats that harness tidal energy to "tumble" the oysters. HBOC proposes the use of intertidal longlines within existing rack & bag culture areas and within the proposed expansion areas.

3 documents in project