The Olympia oyster, the Pacific Northwest coast’s only native oyster, ranges from southeastern Alaska to Baja, California. For thousands of years, Olympia oysters provided sustenance for tribes and habitat for a host of marine organisms. Until the late 1800s, Olympia oysters were the most abundant bivalves in Puget Sound, where they occupied thousands of acres of productive, diverse habitat. Over-harvesting, sediment loads, and pollution drove the oyster to near extinction. Today, it occupies a fraction of its former range and is a Candidate Threatened Species in Washington State and a priority species for restoration.

Puget Sound Restoration Fund, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Taylor Shellfish Farms, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency (NOAA) Restoration Center, 7 Washington Tribes, U.S. Navy, Marine Resources Committees, Seattle Shellfish Company, Shell Puget Sound Refinery, 64 private tideland owners, and others. 

• Seeded more than 5 million oysters at 80 experimental sites across Puget Sound, with assistance from more than 100 partners.
• Intensified seeding at sites where exploratory plantings showed promising results.
• Modified substrate for growing oysters by adding old oyster shells.
• Collected wild seed stock and identified additional habitats to build long-term viability.
• Involved 64 private land owners in planting oysters on private tidelands.
• Involved State and tribal agencies and the University of Washington in monitoring efforts to increase the effectiveness of seeding methods and refine site selection criteria.
• Leveraged $200,000 in federal funds from the NOAA Community-based Restoration Program to spur the involvement of state, local, and private partners.
• Convened a regional advisory group of shellfish farmers and scientists to add technical support.
• Initiated genetic research to guide restoration methods and safeguard genetic integrity.
• Obtained tidelands for the development of an income-generating oyster farm to support future efforts.