2026 Conference for Shellfish Growers
February 9 - February 10
Registration deadline: 5 p.m. on February 2, or when full.
Hosted by Washington Sea Grant (WSG) of the University of Washington.
First convened by WSG in 1991, the Conference for Shellfish Growers brings together shellfish producers, researchers, students and managers from the Pacific Northwest to discuss pressing issues and relevant research on aquaculture. We look forward to another engaging and insightful conference this year.
Select topics include:
- Water quality
- Policy and legislation
- Production best practices
- Ecosystem interactions
- Education and workforce development
- Shellfish mortality
Full agenda forthcoming.
Event Details
Dates: Monday–Tuesday, February 9-10, 2026
Location: Alderbrook Resort & Spa
10 E Alderbrook Dr, Union, WA 98592
Registration Fee: $200
Registration Deadline: January 26, 2026 or until filled.
Walk-ins will not be accepted.
Financial assistance is available through generous support from Puget Sound Partnership. To inquire, please contact Melissa Petrich, mpetrich@uw.edu.
Registration Includes
- Access to all conference sessions
- Lunch and breaks on Day 1
- Reception on Day 1
- Breakfast on Day 2
Note: Cancellations accepted until January 26, 2026. A refund, minus a $50 USD handling fee will be made. You may transfer your registration to another individual. No-shows will forfeit their registration fee.
If you would like to register to secure your spot and pay later, please reach out to Melissa Petrich at mpetrich@uw.edu.
Hotel Accommodations
Special conference rate: $110/night + fees and taxes (single occupancy)
Dates available: Sunday, February 8 and Monday, February 9
Booking notes: The new cutoff date for reserving hotel room rates at the per diem rate is Wednesday, January 14. You can book online
through alderbrookresort.com and must input 40Y22F under Group Code. Phone reservations are available through Wednesday, January 14. Rooms and rates reserved after January 14 are subject to availability.
Reservation instructions (phone):
Call the hotel at 360.898.2145 and mention “University of Washington Sea Grant Shellfish Growers Conference” to receive the discounted rate.
Interested in sponsoring?
Submit your sponsorship form today!
2026 Washington Sea Grant Annual Shellfish Growers Conference Topic Agenda
Monday, February 9, 2026
8:00-9:00 a.m. Registration (and light snacks) Olympic Ballroom
9:00 a.m. Welcome
Kate Litle and Melissa Petrich, Washington Sea Grant
9:20 a.m. 2025 Climate Review and 2026 Outlook
Karin Bumbaco, Washington State Climate Office
Topic 1: Ecosystem Interactions
9:40 a.m. The effect of Olympia oyster restoration on community composition and salmon prey
Julie Barber, Swinomish Indian Tribal Community
10:00 a.m. Antagonistic ecosystem engineering effects differ by seagrass life history stage and density of bioturbating shrimp
Wesley Hull, Washington Department of Natural Resources
10:20 a.m. Statewide European Green Crab Trends
Natalie Otto and Kaitlyn Romero, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
10:40 a.m. Community Response to Longline Density and Spacing
Maria Garcia, University of Washington
11:00 a.m. BREAK
Topic 2: Production Best Practices
11:20 a.m. USDA Pacific Shellfish Research Unit Update
Brett Dumbauld and Louis Plough, USDA
11:40 a.m. Stocking density tradeoffs in intertidal bag culture
Grace Leuchtenberger, University of Washington
12:00 a.m. TIDES Online Permitting Portal Demo and Washington Aquatic Harvest Hub Workshop
Chris Eardley and Katy Davis, WDFW
12:30 p.m. LUNCH Olympic Ballroom
Topic 3: Policy and Regulation
1:30 p.m. Shoreline Management Act & Marine Aquaculture Research for America (MARA) Act Updates
Brett Veerhusen, Ocean Strategies
1:50 p.m. Federal and State Legal Updates
Jesse DeNike, Plauché & Carr LLP
2:10 p.m Clams, Crises and Conference Calls, My Life as a NOAA Aquaculture Coordinator
Teri King, NOAA Fisheries
2:30 p.m. Rulemaking and Laboratory Validation Updates
Tracie Barry and Jerry Borchert, WA DOH
3 p.m. BREAK
Topic 4: Education and Workforce Development
3:30 p.m. PSI’s Shellfish Aquaculture Education – In the Classroom and on the Tideflats
Aimee Christy and Mary Elizabeth Bissell, Pacific Shellfish Institute
3:50 p.m. Tides Out: 2026 Updates
Stuart Thomas, Washington Sea Grant; Nicole Naar, WSG
4:10 p.m. Going big: Scaling up restorative aquaculture of native oysters
Ryan Crim and Jodie Toft, Puget Sound Restoration Fund
4:30 p.m. Direct-to-Consumer Marketing: Resources and Tools for Seafood Harvesters
Jenna Keeton, Washington Sea Grant
5 p.m. ADJOURN
6-8 p.m. Reception Mount Washington Conference Center
Tuesday, February 10, 2026
8-9 a.m. BREAKFAST Olympic Ballroom
Topic 5: Water Quality
9 a.m. Results from the Alexandrium catenella surface sediment cyst mapping of Willapa Bay and Grays Harbor following 2024 toxic algal bloom
Cheryl Greengrove and Julie Masura, University of Washington Tacoma
9:20 a.m. Value of HAB early warning
Vera Trainer, University of Washington; Mike Weir, WHOI; Leif Anderson, NOAA; Teri King, NOAA; Jerry Borchert, WDOH; Tracie Barry, WDOH; Michelle Lepori-Bui, WSG
9:40 a.m. Tools for assessing water conditions from NANOOS: what we have and what’s in the works
Jan Newton, University of Washington and NANOOS
10:00 a.m. BREAK (hotel check out)
Topic 6: Shellfish Mortality
10:40 a.m. Bivalve Transmissible Neoplasia in Clams, Cockles, and More in Puget Sound
Michael Metzger, Pacific Northwest Research Institute (PNRI)
11:00 a.m. Rapid Response Network for Shellfish Mass-Mortality Events: 2025 Updates
Julieta Martinelli, WDFW; Rana Brown, Squaxin Island Tribe; and Ashleigh Epps, Washington Sea Grant
11:20 a.m. Shellfish Mortality Workshop
11:50 a.m. Closing Remarks
Melissa Petrich, Washington Sea Grant
12:00 p.m. ADJOURN
Have questions?
Contact Melissa Petrich, mpetrich@uw.edu.
This event is open to all, regardless of race, sex or other identity. The University of Washington is committed to providing access and accommodation in its services, programs, and activities. To make a request connected to a disability or health condition, contact Melissa Petrich.
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Washington Sea Grant, based at the University of Washington, helps people and marine life thrive through research, technical expertise and education supporting the responsible use and conservation of coastal ecosystems. Washington Sea Grant is one of 34 Sea Grant programs supported by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in coastal and Great Lakes states that encourage the wise stewardship of our marine resources through research, education, outreach and technology transfer.
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