Shellfish Aquaculture Permits Step 1: Getting Started by Scoping Your Site

Scoping Your Site

Actions that must be addressed before beginning the permit application process for shellfish aquaculture projects in Washington State:

• Contact the Washington Department of Natural Resources to determine land ownership. Note, for private land, you will need signed documentation from the property owner allowing you to farm. For public land, see Step 5: State-Owned Aquatic Land Authorization. 
• Check the water quality to ensure that it is approved or conditionally approved by the Washington State Department of Health.
• Contact your local government and Washington Tribes/The Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission for tribal interest determination. 

Tribal interest: If the land parcel is not part of the 2007 Commercial Shellfish Growers Settlement Agreement for intertidal cultivation projects, you must determine if there are tribal interests by submitting a section 6.3 notice form to the appropriate tribe. For additional information about the Settlement Agreement, see Step 6. The Army Corps of Engineers will also separately notify interested tribes as part of their permit notification procedures. 

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Permitting Steps

• Step 1: Scope Your Site
• Step 2: Joint Aquatic Resources Permit Application
• Step 3: Local Government Review
• Step 4: Federal Regulatory Agency Permits and Approvals
• Step 5: State Owned Aquatic Lands Authorization
• Step 6: Tribal Review
• Step 7: Health Shellfish Operator's License Application and Certification
• Step 8: Import and Transfer Permitting and Aquatic Farm Registration

Contact

Teri King 
Regional Aquaculture Coordinator - Oregon and Washington 
West Coast Region 
Office: (360) 207-1724 
teri.king@noaa.gov