Don't Buy Washington Oysters!

[Toaster]

Roverhi,

Actually, the upcoming generation of Americans is predicted to be the first generation to have a shorter lifespan than their parents. They are eating crap food and getting obese..... Sad state of affairs.

I had WA oysters last night - fabulous. I am going to have to stuff my face with them before they start spraying.....

Toaster

[s/v Beth]

Any body eat BC oysters? Taste better when I collect them anyway.

[Pelagic]

Yes... Redondo Oysters in Desolation Sound... Self harvested and consumed in February on the beach with hot sauce and a nice woody and buttery Chardonnay....

Just amazing how well that woody performs later on

[JayCall]

Cheech-to add to your warning, the pesticide that is going to be used is a potent neurotoxin, it is to be sprayed over the water by helicopter. It has never been used in water, any potential effects are totally unknown, even the WA Dep't of Ecology is against using this particular pesticide and in fact, the manufacturer says it should not be used in, on or near water. According to the state, this is an "experimental" use to try and control the burrowing shrimp that ruin oyster beds. Great idea, huh?

[Roy M]

Here's a pretty good article on the issue: Washington State Turns to Neurotoxins to Save Its Oysters - Bloomberg Business

Perhaps a more effective campaign might be to let people know that these are oysters from a certain part of Washington, so as to make a more targeted message to the oyster growers who are intending to use the pesticide. It sounds like particularly nasty stuff, according to the Bloomberg Business Report.

[exMaggieDrum]

There is so much more to this story than just "pesticide being used on oyster farms". First of all it is limited to two areas only - but - those are the two largest oyster farming bays in the state (and may be the country but I don't know). The bays are "Gray's Harbor" and "Willapa Bay". So boycotting all oysters may hurt some other growers that should not be.

The pesticide manufacturer specifically states not to use over/in water. All governmental agencies who are involved in the use of any chemicals are 100% against the use of this pesticide - EXCEPT for the WA Department of Ecology. This is very interesting since Ecology is normally a rapid dog when it comes to any chemicals in the water. Taylor Farms must have some real friends in Ecology to get them to approve this. I can't over-emphasize how unusual this is.

This pesticide is strongly implicated in the wholesale loss of honey bees worldwide. It is banned in Europe - completely to my knowledge.

No testing has been done by anyone other than the proponent of this "solution". It needs to be tested, at least somewhat, by an independent group. The side effects of this pesticide in a closed harbor/bay are completely unknown. It is not known how much residual pesticide (or residues from it) will end up in the oysters which go to market. It is not known if the helicopter spraying will result in the pesticide only going in to these huge bays or how much will drift over to land. The effects on other food fishes is not known.

This is pure greed to push this through like this. The US (and many other areas of the world) are trying to undo the huge damage from other widespread uses of pesticides. Some of this damage was not recognized for years with long standing problems.

I'm with Cheechako on boycotting oysters from these two areas. You should also (even if you don't eat oysters but have concerns) express concern at restaurants and stores who sell oysters so that they understand the impact to their own profits. Most of these oysters will be sold outside of Washington state from what I understand so it may be difficult to ID where they come from.

If you are unconcerned about eating pesticides or destroying ecosystems then go for it. Darwin always wins in the end and we (and our kids) have to live or die by those rules.

Here is one article. Just google "oyster pesticide" for more. Cliff Mass Weather Blog: Oysters and Pesticides: The Washington State Department of Ecology Stumbles

[kjdavie01]

Noted with some amusement the slam against "Eastern" oysters - funny, several million people seem to disagree with you on that one! I can only assume you either have no sense of taste (sniffed too much glue and pesticides as a child, perhaps?)- or you've never had a Wellfleet or Pemaquid oyster!
Or you simply have no taste. That's ok - more for the rest of us! Enjoy your hot dogs!

[Moonsnaildiver]

Here's a link:
Disbelief over state plan to spray neurotoxin into oyster beds | The Seattle Times

If the link won't work, Seattle Times has several stories on it which you can get by googling seattle times and oysters

[biker6977]

We love our Appilachicola oysters down here in the gulf, plump, salty and yummy. Hate to hear about the spraying in Washington.

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by SV Sedna

CheeChako do you have a link to an article for this? I am interested in the the how and why's of such a move.

Here's one link, it was on all nbc, cbs, abc tv news also.
Disbelief over state plan to spray neurotoxin into oyster beds | The Seattle Times

[socaldmax]

Originally Posted by IdoraKeeper

AHHH Cheech! Say it aint so. There is nothing better than a pint of Hoppdiggity and a couple dozen oysters on the half shell. I am bereft...nothin left but sushi.

Oh, then let me tell ya about mercury levels...

I'm only half joking.

Honestly, I love sushi and shellfish, but I am getting mildly concerned about pollution in farmed fish and shellfish. So far, I avoid farmed fish from Vietnam, but spraying pesticides all over the beach? Do they really think that the pesticides will not build up in the oysters?

[Cheechako]

To me, it's not only what is in the oysters.. but what are they doing to the ecology of the beach in general? Killing everything tiny.
The oyster farmers are a bunch of rich cats, and we are allowing them to do this so they can make more money? Really?
Maybe they should oyster farm where the tidelands are better suited to oysters instead of trying to change the tideland....

[nikorohrbach]

I also would like to read the ariticle...

Willipa Bay and Greys harbor are only two areas in WA that produce oysters. There are alot of other growers, large and small, that are surely not goig to be spraying pesticides.

Maybe the title should be "Avoid Willipa Bay and Greys Harbor Oysters" instead of damning the whole statewide shellfish industry.

Most WA oysters are Pacific oysters, each local oyster growing area has its own flavor, such terroir like that of wine. Check our Rowan Jacobsen's work at The Oyster Guide - A Geography of Oysters by Rowan Jacobsen

[socaldmax]

I can't believe they're planning to do this without any testing in a large aquarium first. How do they know the neurotoxin won't also kill off the oysters?

[Tayana42]

And how much neurotoxin do you want to eat?


S/V B'Shert