Rapid Response Network
Coordinated by Ashleigh Epps, Washington Sea Grant; Rana Brown, Squaxin Island Tribe; and Julieta Martinelli, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
Coordinated by Ashleigh Epps, Washington Sea Grant; Rana Brown, Squaxin Island Tribe; and Julieta Martinelli, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
Shellfish have been an integral part of the life of Washington state Tribes for millennia, and for residents and visitors alike. The shellfish aquaculture industry in Washington State is the largest in the nation, generating 150 million in annual farmed bivalve sales. Over the past century, shellfish have transformed the state’s economic landscape, creating thousands of jobs in coastal communities. Additionally, shellfish provide an important ecological role to the surrounding ecosystems.
In June 2021, the region faced an unprecedented climatic event that led to high mortality in many shellfish species. An atmospheric heatwave coincided with the lowest low tides of the year (June 26-28, 2021), exposing intertidal and subtidal invertebrates to unusually high air temperatures. These anthropogenic changes (i.e., warmer ocean and air temperatures) are expected to persist and increase in frequency and intensity, suggesting that the threats that extreme weather events pose to shellfish are likely to continue.
Therefore, there was a need to create a Rapid Response Network for resource managers and shellfish industry members to prepare and stay uniformly informed about potential upcoming climate-induced shellfish mortality events. This also includes creating a Rapid Response Plan that aims to develop standardized sampling recommendations that can be used to both: (1) monitor non-harvest beaches to obtain baseline data; and (2) detect changes to shellfish communities over time due to climate-driven events.
Rapid Response Plan: Coming Fall 2025
Suggested priority species for surveys:
Example table that can be used for this method:
For observations of large numbers of dead or dying invertebrates (e.g. after a series of very hot days, you visit your local beach or private tideland and notice a large number of dead oysters with their shells separated and gaping open).
Raymond et al. (2022) used a Post Heat Wave Rating (PHWR) survey to assess shellfish condition using a semi-quantitative rating scale. Scientists had to possess extensive local knowledge of a site in order to submit information. Their expert knowledge was used to assess what they were seeing relative to what they would consider typical based on their prior experience with specific sites and species at the same time of year.
Experts rated the condition of the animals according to the following scale:
1 = much worse than normal
2 = worse than normal
3 = normal
4 = better than normal
5 = much better than normal
Link to the reporting tool: SHELLFISH MASS MORTALITY REPORTING TOOL
For commercial shellfish growers: the shellfish and marine invertebrate mass mortality reporting tool helps WDFW understand how industry is impacted by these events; however, please note that this reporting tool does not supersede reporting requirements established as part of transfer permit conditions.
Group name: Shellfish and Seaweed Biosecurity Health
Affiliation: Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
About: You can find information about permitting, transfers, and AIS-related programs
Group name: Shellfish – Information for the General Public
Affiliation: Washington State Department of Health
About: shellfish-safety map, biotoxins, preventing shellfish-related illnesses
Link: Shellfish | Washington State Department of Health
Contact: Shellfish Program Contacts | Washington State Department of Health
Group name: Michael Metzger’s Lab
Affiliation: Pacific Northwest Research Institute
About: Research on transmissible cancer in bivalves and related topics
Link: Metzger Lab – Pacific Northwest Research Institute
Contact: Metzger Lab – Pacific Northwest Research Institute
Group name: Chelsea Wood’s Lab
Affiliation: School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, University of Washington
About: Research on parasites of commercially important fish and oysters
Link: Wood Lab – ecology of parasites in marine and freshwater ecosystems
Contact: chelwood@uw.edu
Group name: Sound Toxins
Affiliation: Washington Sea Grant
About: monitoring program that provides early warning of harmful algal blooms
Link: SoundToxins — Home
Contact: soundtox@uw.edu, Michelle Lepori-Bui & Melissa Petrich
Group name: Biotoxin Monitoring
Affiliation: WA Department of Health
About: monitoring program that provides early warning of harmful algal blooms
Link: Biotoxin Beach Closures by County
Contact: biotoxins@doh.wa.gov
Company name: AquaTechnics Inc.
About: shellfish health and lab services for aquaculture
Link: Aquatechnics Inc.
Contact: ralph@aquatechnics.com
Company name: Sensoreal
About: A semi-quantitative, rapid test kit for PSP toxins in shellfish
Link: Sensoreal
Contact: hello@sensoreal.com
Group name: Pacific Shellfish Institute
About: This tool is used for research purposes only to observe oyster mortalities in triploid oysters during summer mortality events. Link to website.
Link: Shellfish Mortality Reporting Form
Contact: psi@pacshell.org
Name: Craig Norrie
Affiliation: University of Washington
About: This study looks at the environmental costs and benefits of using diploid or triploid seed for farming Pacific oysters.
Link: Research Article: Differential performance of diploid, mated triploid, and induced triploid Pacific oysters under varied environmental conditions: Insights into impacts of temperature, dissolved oxygen, and pCO2
Contact: cnorrie@uw.edu
We have an online Slack channel where resource managers, industry members, agencies, and researchers can communicate about any current or upcoming climate-induced events that are causing or may cause mass shellfish mortalities. If you would like to be added to this channel, please email us at deadshellfish@uw.edu with your preferred email address to be added to the Slack channel, and we will send you a link. Visit Slack.com for more information about what a Slack channel is.
Presentations from these conferences are available by request. Please contact deadshellfish@uw.edu to request one.
Squaxin Island Tribe surveying, April 2, 2025. Photos by Ashleigh Epps, Washington Sea Grant.
Squaxin Island Tribe surveying, June 21, 2024. Photos by Ashleigh Epps, Washington Sea Grant.
The Rapid Response Network is in collaboration with University of Washington, Taylor Shellfish, Jamestown SK’lallam Tribe, Puget Sound Restoration Fund, Swinomish Indian Tribal Community, Skokomish Indian Tribe, Evergreen State College, and NOAA National Marine Fisheries Services.