Click on the words above “Cert. denied” to see this entire post.
The supreme court issued their orders this morning.
On the list of cases denied a hearing, Drakes Bay Oyster Company.
Now to get DBOC to clean up the mess they bought/created along with the lease.
Let’s hope they break with what seems to be the tradition of the oyster industry and actually do the right thing and clean up the mess they made while making a profit from the public waters of the State of California.
Read about other local oyster growers and the mess they either created, bought, continue to create or are beginning to clean up, here, here, here and here.
Click on the words above “Sustainable oyster farming, West Marin style…” to see this post as it was meant to be seen.
March of 2013, I published the image showing over 5000 black plastic oyster spacer tubes I had picked up. The image shows them in a large pile of black plastic on a tarp in front of the turn-off to the DBOC farm. See it here.
Besides meeting Kevin’s parents the day I made that image (that is a post all in itself), a few months later, Kevin found my blog, had a look around, then sent me a note inviting me over to talk about oyster farming trash. I went out to meet him the same day I photographed this Osprey over Drakes Estero, see it here.
The upshot of what he told me for nearly two hours was, “Richard, all this trash you and others are finding is from Charlie Johnson, not DBOC.”
He also showed me the new way they are growing oysters using long white plastic tubes impregnated with bits of oyster shell, they are called French Tubes.
When I saw them, I commented that I thought I’d only ever picked up one in all my days on the local beaches.
He seemed to think they were the silver bullet to all this lost plastic getting into the ocean.
I thanked him for his time and we parted ways, I did not give French Tubes much more thought. That is until I went diving in Drakes Estero. I wanted to see what was going on under the surface with my own eyes.
Kevin is right, I won’t be picking up those long white tubes from all over the beaches of Point Reyes. The reason being, French Tubes sink!
Have a look for yourself. See the invasive tunicate growing all over them.
This is surely one way to keep your litter out of the public eye.
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While hiking back from the mouth of the Estero today with a load of trash (over 60 black tubes) along with all the usual human-waste, I came upon 3 people that wanted to know what all the trash was on my back. After explaining my affliction (the inability to walk past garbage on the beach), I briefly explained the oyster situation to them. The mess in the Estero, the mess I keep finding in Tomales Bay etc.
The young woman looked at me and asked “Is it possible to grow oysters and not make a mess of the environment?”
That is a very good question I told her.
I’ve seen little evidence of it so far. The folks at Hog Island do seem to be improving their practice, looking for ways to lose less gear. TBOC has a long way to go to clean up their practice, I see small efforts and much larger issues to be tackled. The others I cannot speak of accurately.
If one reads the position paper put forth by the California Shellfish Initiative, dated 29 Aug. 2013 It states in part (emphasis mine) …
The California Shellfish Initiative (“Initiative”) is a collaborative effort of growers, regulators, NGO’sand scientists to restore and expand California’s shellfish resources, including oysters, mussels,clams, abalone and scallops.
The Initiative seeks to harness the creative talents of shellfish growers, local, state, and federal resource managers and environmental leaders. The Initiative’s goals are to protect and enhance our marine habitats, foster environmental quality, increase jobs, encourage inter-agency coordination and communication, and strengthen coastal economies. A successful Initiative will engage coastal stakeholders in a comprehensive process to grow California’s $25M sustainable shellfish (bivalve) harvest, restore natural shellfish reefs, protect clean water and enhance healthy watersheds.
I’d be happier if what this says were happening…
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As always, click on a picture to see it larger
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Oyster farm debris littering the bottom of Drakes Estero
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As always, click on a picture to see it larger
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Oyster farm debris littering the bottom of Drakes Estero
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As always, click on a picture to see it larger
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Oyster farm debris littering the bottom of Drakes Estero
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As always, click on a picture to see it larger
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Oyster farm debris littering the bottom of Drakes Estero
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As always, click on a picture to see it larger
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Oyster farm debris littering the bottom of Drakes Estero
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As always, click on a picture to see it larger
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tunicates love oyster racks, oyster bags, oyster tubes. Non-native tunicates!
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As always, click on a picture to see it larger
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Click on the words “DBOC Denied. Nature Affirmed!” to see this post in its entirety.
Today the ninth circuit denied the appeal for a hearing en banc to allow Drakes Bay Oyster Company to continue to ignore their expired lease to extract money from Drakes Estero in the form of oysters and clams.
Click the words above “The court has spoken” to see this post how it was meant to be seen.
The following are excerpts from the Ninth Circuit opinion published this morning which can be found here.
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Several weeks ago, I overheard someone responsible for the oyster farm entry in the Western Weekend Parade comment “I wanted to do something good for them, they’ve been through so much.”
The phrase “largely responsible for their own harm” comes to mind.
A few weeks ago, someone closely involved with this ordeal said to me, “Regardless of the outcome, I hope Kevin Lunny invests just as much time healing this community as he did dividing it.
In yesterday’s Marin Independent-Journal is a view of the situation unfolding in Drake’s Estero not before seen in print (by me anyhow).
Joe Mueller, professor of Marine Biology, College of Marin writes:
“I COMMEND the level of public engagement in the debate over whether to protect Drakes Estero marine wilderness or continue commercial oyster operations in our local national park. While the decision did not rest on scientific matters, fundamental ecological principles have always supported protecting this estuary.
As a local professor of marine ecology and environmental science for the past 25 years, I would be remiss if I didn’t voice strong disagreement with those that feel growing and extracting 20 million non-native oysters from the Drakes Bay Ecosystem is in any way commendable as an environmentally healthy practice.”
Click on the title of this post to read it and see a related header image.
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This osprey snatched what appears to be a smelt out of Drakes Estero in front of me today. The fish was not at all keen on the events as they unfolded. Osprey circled overhead, attempting to re-arrange the fish into an aerodynamic package for transport back to the nest.
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Osprey landed on a post nearby and struggled for a few minutes in a strong and steady breeze, reaching back with beak, trying to move this fish. With talons so long, sharp and curved, it is difficult if not impossible for the bird to let go of prey.
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After a few minutes of pecking, floating up, landing back on post, more struggling, fish was nearly out of energy. Properly packaged, osprey lifted off to deliver this meal to a hungry brood or mate.
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Later, I happened upon this never before seen species of cetacean that had beached itself upon South Beach.
I gave it the name Fauxkinghumansea dropmoreplastica. Commonly known as, Blue-bodied toxic reminder
Oh, after contacting Marin County Parks people to let them know I found one of their swim area buoys, they came out and picked it up. That thing costs over $500. The decals alone are over $100. They used to gather them up each year at the end of swim season, then set them out again after winter. They stopped doing that, though I am not sure why.
Click on the title of this post to read it and see a related header image.
Sustainable oyster farming, West Marin style. Click image to see larger version.
Nearly 6000 HDPE (high-density polyethylene) tubes used in the production of oysters in Drakes Estero. One person picked up every one of these by hand over a period of 3.5 years. All were found as far south as Slide Ranch, just south of Stinson Beach, and as far north as the tip of Tomales Point, as well as all points in-between.
Those black (and one green) grow-out bags are a fraction of the bags I recovered. The green one was found in Tomales Bay and is likely from one of the growers that raise oysters in that body of water.
NOTE: It has been pointed out to me a number of times that these tubes are made of high-density polyethylene (HDPE), not poly-vinyl chloride (PVC). I am finally getting around to correcting that error. [2014.03.30]
Click on the title of this post to read it and see a related header image.
After Thanksgiving 2012 I made six visits in quick succession to the beaches of Limantour, Drakes, and South within Point Reyes National Seashore as well as one visit to Slide Ranch.
What you see in the images below was what I collected. It is by no means all that had washed up. I packed out what I could carry. And I do mean everything, all the items the smaller pieces are displayed upon were packed out as well.
All of these images can be seen larger if you click on them.
Human trash collected from Point Reyes beaches during six visits
Tampon applicators – known as beach whistles in the beach-walking community. I am told by a female friend that if women were not taught to be afraid of their own bodies, these would not exist. They wash up by the hundreds when conditions are right, err wrong.
Toys, pill containers, cheese-like-substance spreaders, deodorant applicators. All part of the fast-paced human life of convenience.
I recently purchased a toothbrush where I can replace the brush part when needed, keeping the handle which may never wear out. See below this image on where you can buy one and reduce the amount of plastic crap we humans inject into our ecosystem.
One company that makes a sensible tooth brush is Ecodent
Toxic beverage containers, also known as disposable cups. See below this image for where to purchase a reusable coffee mug.
One company that sells a nice spill-proof coffee-cup is contigo
There is nothing smart about Smartwater. See below this image for where to purchase a metal water bottle you can use forever. Imagine not wasting oil to make a bottle that most people toss aside. Imagine…..
One company that makes a reusable water bottle is Klean Kanteen.
Learn something you likely did not know about Fiji Water.
Oyster grow-out bags, crab trap bait bags and many, many tennis balls. The bag on the bottom is definitely from Drakes Bay Oyster Company. The upper bag is used by all the local oyster farmers. I find them all the time.
Crab fishing residue. What if the price of crab in the market reflected the true cost to the planet of growing and harvesting it?
Could that bottle of mouthwash have belonged to D. Lee?
Oyster spacer tubes made from PVC pipe used by Johnson’s Oysters which was purchased by Drakes Bay Oyster Company. I found 490 of them in less than a week. My one day record is 722. Many are clearly very old. Though many are like new, not a bit of ocean growth on them.
Disposable lighters, also known as fake-albatross food. See the link below this image for images made by Chris Jordan showing dead albatross on Midway Atoll whose bellies are full of plastic bits and lighters.
See a previous post showing the harm done to wild birds by our selfishness, here.
Packaging for non-food that is killing the human race. This stuff washes up by the truckload. That is, if it is not devoured by turtles first.
Oyster spacer tubes from Drakes Bay Oyster Company
Packing straps fill the oceans, strangling turtles and seals. NOTE: Marine Mammal Center, contact me before using my images.
Oil, cottage cheese, yogurt, tapioca, yogurt, oysters, jumbo red worms and more oysters. All framed by an oyster grow-out bag from Drakes Bay Oyster Company
Foster Farms Value Pack Combo, no added hormones or steroids. Wash some down with Capri Sun high fructose corn-syrup. Unsustainable petroleum-based packaging? Ahhhh, who gives a damn? Please pass the pastrami!
Am I shoveling shit against the tide by picking up all this human trash from our beaches? Like Sisyphus, I’ve cheated death more than once. Like Sisyphus and his boulder, I’ve been walking the earth picking up after my species.
Shoes and hat brims by the hundreds
Tyvek suit, made in China. Most everything pictured in these images was fashioned there and shipped to the US. What a waste of energy. We can do better. We must.
Commercial crab trap tags. Recognize anyone you know? I do.
shuttle-cock, binkies, fish, flowers, lip-balm, and what day would be complete without a syringe or two? Oh yes and a toy star trek phaser cartridge bottom center. Brad Campbell taught me at a very young age that I could use those as a coin in a gumball machine. Thankfully the statute of limitation has likely expired on that crime.
Organic energy shots are the best for washing down Easy Cheese. A pouch of emergency water is nice to have on hand too, as a chaser.
Larry Ellison had a little trouble with his 9 million dollar America’s Cup boat (AC72). I have been finding pieces of it washing up all over the place. That is aluminum or paper honeycomb sandwiched by carbon fiber you see.
Human trash collected from Point Reyes beaches during six visits
