Geoduck Aquaculture

Arcadia geoduck planting site
(Arcadia geoduck planting site (2018) above).

What is Geoduck Aquaculture?

Geoduck aquaculture is a type of shellfish farming that takes place on Washington’s public and private tidelands. This process involves carefully planting young geoduck clams into the sand, where they grow naturally for five to seven years. Over time, these clams can grow very large—some reaching over two pounds—before being harvested and sold.

Geoduck clams are considered a delicacy in many parts of the world, especially in Asia. Because of their size and taste, they can sell for a high price per pound. This price can change depending on demand, international trade, and other market conditions. Interestingly, geoducks grown on farms often sell for more than those harvested from the wild, because farmed clams can be more consistent in size, appearance, and quality.

To learn more about our Aquaculture Program and how we manage other types of shellfish farming on state-owned aquatic lands, please visit our Aquaculture Program webpage.

What is the difference between geoduck aquaculture and the wildstock geoduck fishery?

Geoduck aquaculture is a form of farming that occurs on private tidelands and state-owned aquatic lands. In some cases, farmers lease aquatic lands from DNR and plant young geoducks (called "seed") in the sand. These clams are grown and cared for over several years before being harvested for sale.

Washington’s wildstock geoduck fishery involves harvesting naturally occurring clams in the subtidal zone between -18 and -70 feet. DNR co-manages the wildstock geoduck fishery with the Department of Fish and Wildlife and Washington State Treaty Tribes to ensure it remains sustainable for future generations.

Both types of harvesting provide geoducks for the market, but they grow in different environments and are managed in different ways.

Learn more about DNR’s wild geoduck fishery.

How do I lease state-owned aquatic lands for geoduck aquaculture?

Before DNR will issue a geoduck aquaculture lease on state-owned aquatic lands, the following processes must take place:

  • Potential Lessees must contact DNR at ard@dnr.wa.gov to verify that the aquatic land is available for leasing.
  • Complete the online Joint Aquatic Resources Permit Application (JARPA) Attachment E: Aquatic Use Authorization on DNR-managed Aquatic Lands and application fee.
  • DNR will conduct a preliminary review of the application to determine if the land is available and the proposed use is appropriate for public lands.
  • Each site must undergo public review through the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) requirements.
  • Lessees must obtain the following:
    • US Army Corps of Engineers Title 401 permit
    • Certifications from Washington State Department of Health
    • County conditional use permits (see the Online Permitting Assistance System)
  • Proposed sites will undergo thorough review when obtaining the required permits, providing ample opportunity for site assessment, information sharing, and comment from stakeholders and interested parties.
  • DNR reviews all information provided and, if approved, may offer a geoduck aquaculture lease.

What are the impacts of geoduck aquaculture on the marine environment?

DNR takes habitat protection seriously when leasing state-owned aquatic lands. Every leaseholder is required to follow strict habitat stewardship measures that help reduce potential impacts to marine ecosystems. Here are some examples of habitat stewardship measures:

  • Before a farm is installed, lease applicants must conduct a survey of the site. If native eelgrass or kelp is found, those areas are carefully mapped, and a 16-foot setback is required to protect these important habitats.
  • Applicants must comply with federal environmental protections, including the Endangered Species Act and Essential Fish Habitat programmatic consultation. These reviews evaluate potential risks to sensitive species and require farmers to take steps to avoid or minimize harm.
  • Tenants are not allowed to leave or permit trash or debris on the lease site. Farmers are required to monitor for debris regularly and report their findings in an online database quarterly.

In 2024, DNR completed a six-year study to assess the impacts of geoduck aquaculture on sediment dispersal, bathymetry, and sediment structure in Puget Sound. The study concluded that natural changes in sediment levels were greater than those caused by farming activities, suggesting that geoduck farming has relatively limited impact on the marine environment.

In addition, Researchers from Washington Sea Grant, UW, and NOAA evaluated the effects of intertidal geoduck aquaculture on the food web and marine ecosystems in Central Puget Sound, finding that the foodweb can support at least a 120% increased geoduck aquaculture from 2012 levels. DNR consistently reviews internal and external research to guide our geoduck management practices.

How does Geoduck Aquaculture benefit the people of Washington state?

About half of the revenue from the leasing of geoduck sites goes into DNR’s Aquatic Lands Enhancement Account (ALEA). The ALEA funds provide for public access and protecting the natural ecological functions of aquatic lands in Washington State. The other half of the revenue is deposited in the Resource Management Cost Account (RMCA). The RMCA is appropriated to DNR to manage state-owned aquatic lands.

What about Tribal Shellfish Sharing?

The management of geoduck aquaculture and wild shellfish harvests involves close coordination with Treaty Tribes to honor long-established legal agreements and ensure the sustainability of shared marine resources.

For some geoduck aquaculture leases on state-owned aquatic lands, harvest agreements—including harvest allocations—are negotiated directly between the tenants and the Treaty Tribes whose usual and accustomed fishing areas include the site. These negotiations are guided by the Revised Shellfish Implementation Plan, which helps balance the protection of tribal treaty rights with responsible resource management. The plan outlines how the State and Treaty Tribes work together to support the long-term health of shellfish populations while allowing for sustainable harvests.

This management approach is rooted in key legal decisions. On December 20, 1994, U.S. District Court Judge Edward Rafeedie ruled (in U.S. v. Washington, 873 F. Supp. 1422) that Puget Sound Treaty Indian Tribes are entitled to 50% of the harvestable surplus of geoducks within their usual and accustomed fishing areas. This decision affirmed tribal treaty rights established under federal law. A follow-up court order in 1995 (U.S. v. Washington, 898 F. Supp. 1453) confirmed the Tribes’ co-management role in overseeing shellfish harvests.

These partnerships and legal frameworks ensure that shellfish resources—both farmed and wild—are managed in a way that respects tribal rights, promotes fairness, and protects marine ecosystems for future generations.