Friends of Burley Lagoon

Taylor Shellfish and Friends of Burley Lagoon Reach Agreement on Geoduck Cultivation Proposal

On February 5, 2025, Friends of Burley Lagoon (FOBL) and Coalition to Protect Puget Sound Habitat petitioned the Shorelines Hearing Board (SHB) to review the decision of the Pierce County Hearing Examiner and the Department of Ecology approving Taylor Shellfish’s permits for a geoduck farm in Burley Lagoon. During this process, the SHB offered the parties an opportunity to mediate before continuing litigation. All parties were agreeable to this.

After two days of mediation facilitated by an SHB mediator, and after much deliberation, a Settlement Agreement was signed on April 16, 2025, by all parties in lieu of continued litigation. This Settlement Agreement is a compromise that removes the legal challenge to the geoduck farm in the lagoon, while providing measures that preserve and protect subtidal areas and stream channels, restore native Olympia oyster beds, and create ecological reserve areas within the lagoon. Taylor has also agreed to additional conditions, and a more complete explanation follows.

One of the most rewarding parts of this agreement is a long-term plan among the stakeholders involving stewardship of Burley Lagoon. Friends of Burley Lagoon and Taylor Shellfish have vested interests in the health of the lagoon and have the same overall goal: the protection of Puget Sound and Burley Lagoon for the sake of healthy waters for all uses in a safe and sustainable manner. Therefore, a cooperative resource protection entity (the Cooperative) will be developed to support these efforts, tasked with protecting, restoring and enhancing the natural resources of the lagoon.

With this Settlement Agreement and Cooperative, we hope to garner both public and private support, build positive relationships, and facilitate consensus among the shellfish industry, concerned citizens, government agencies, and more. The intention is to design and implement a functioning no net loss model for an ecologically managed estuary. Burley Lagoon could become a blueprint for a future that supports the mutual goals and addresses the mutual concerns of all stakeholders. This effort, combining collaboration, science and education, is for the sake of Burley Lagoon and Puget Sound.

Friends of Burley Lagoon wants to thank its donors and supporters. FOBL has continued to have amazing community support, and we hope and anticipate, as we forge this new path of collaboration and protection, that you will join us.

Summary of Settlement Agreement:

• Taylor Shellfish is contributing $30,000 and FOBL is contributing $3,000 toward designing and implementing the Cooperative and the Conservation Proposal.
• If Friends of Burley Lagoon finds that there are impacts from geoduck farming greater than forecast in the EIS, the matter can be reopened at a later date.
• Taylor’s active aquaculture operations will not exceed 175 acres of the 300+ leased acres within Burley Lagoon.
• Geoduck operations will not exceed 25.5 acres.
• 18 acres of subtidal area will not be used for any aquaculture as long as the geoduck farm operates.
• The process is in place to put the island in Burley Lagoon into a conservation easement for wildlife, including migratory birds.
• Shellfish operations will not take place in the streamway channels.
• No area used for geoduck aquaculture will be within 250 feet of an existing residential structure.
• Geoduck DIVE operations will not occur before 8:00 a.m. or after 5:00 p.m. every day of the year.
• Geoduck DIVE operations, except for emergencies, shall occur no more than half of the weekend days between April 15 and September 15 and not on Easter Sunday, Memorial Day, 4th of July or Labor Day.
• Taylor will provide a schedule for the summer weekends by March 31st of each year.
• Chemicals, pesticides, herbicides, processed feeds, or net pens will not be used within Burley Lagoon or 200 feet to the south of the spit.
• Taylor will devote at least 2 contiguous acres to native Olympia oyster restoration with no aquaculture harvesting.
• To facilitate communication, Taylor will provide a phone number and email contacts of its crew chief.
• Taylor will maintain existing debris collection practices and provide a phone number to call when marine litter pick up is needed.
• Taylor will provide identifying clothing or gear for their crew.

For any questions, feel free to email us. Follow our website in the coming months for more details as it’s updated. Also attached is a joint press-release and below is an infographic regarding some of the benefits of this agreement.

Thank you again for your support. We look forward to continuing to work together as a community in the years to come.

Your FOBL Board
Bob, Bruce, Claudia, Heather, Janey, Karen, Lisette, Lorrie, Wendy