SHELLFISH AND CULTIVATION

Razor clams and eastern softshell clams abundant in Willapa Bay at Sealand, south of Oysterville (Jones 1894). 80 barrels of eastern oysters from New York, New Jersey, and Chesapeake Bay moved to Bay Center (Smith, 1895), specifically Palix Channel, over approximately 5 acres (Crawford, 1894). The Palix Channel was chosen by U.S. Fish Commission Naturalist Townsend and Washington Fish Commissioner Crawford due to the firm substrate, extensive native oysters, close proximity to town to prevent poaching, a subtidal depth of 2.44 meters to avoid freeze mortality, few sea star predators, and potentially warmer waters (Townsend, 1896). Amounts were 10 barrels of wild set, 12 from Chesapeake, 8 from Newark Bay, 14 from Princes Bay, 23 from Key Port, and 13 from East River. 14,152 kilograms shipped at a cost of $785 (Crawford, 1894).