August Ecosystem Services Photo Contest Winner

Fiona Boardman: Lesser Yellowlegs are just one of the many shorebird species that utilize oyster aquaculture habitat to forage during their migrations. The birds use their long bills to capture small invertebrates from the mud. This photo was taken at Brady’s Oysters in Grays Harbor, where I am studying the foraging behavior of shorebirds in and out of oyster aquaculture.

Aquaculture Technician – Jamestown Point Whitney Shellfish

Job Details:

We are excited to announce that the Jamestown Point Whitney Shellfish venture is seeking a full-time Aquaculture Technician to join their team at the Brinnon Shellfish Hatchery!  The ideal candidate will possess a variety of skills including building, plumbing, mechanical and electrical knowledge, interest in marine biology and ecology, and organizational skills that will allow the technician to become familiar with cleaning, feeding, harvesting, inventorying, and the operation and maintenance of equipment and systems. 

Starting wage is dependent on experience.

As an Aquaculture Technician, you will:                                                                                  

  • Maintain cleanliness of shellfish bins and tanks
  • Sort shellfish by size and species
  • Participate in the production of micro algae cultures
  • Track and report inventory
  • Maintain company assets in good operational condition including pumps, motors, blowers, and various tools  
  • Perform other duties, as assigned

Read More →

FDA and OSHA Publish COVID-19 Checklist to Assist the Food Industry

Over the last several months, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), along with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), have developed a number of resources to help food industry employers continue or resume operations safely. These resources complement the FDA’s long-standing requirements for food producers to protect the safety of the food they produce.

To assist the food industry as it navigates changes to operations related to COVID-19, the FDA has teamed up with OSHA to develop the “Employee Health and Food Safety Checklist for Human and Animal Food Operations During the COVID-19 Pandemic.” The checklist pulls from existing guidance provided by the FDA, CDC, and OSHA and serves as a quick reference to help the food industry assess employee health, social distancing, and food safety within workplaces as operations may be impacted by COVID-19. 

July Ecosystem Services Photo Contest Winner

Marc Dewey: While cleaning out geoduck nursery tubes we often find mussels, cockles, barnacles and juvenile crab. Today we discovered that stickleback fish have been creating egg nests under seaweed within the protective environment of the tubes.