Mystery bay shellfish threat examined
By Jeff Chew, Peninsula Daily News
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NORDLAND — Jake Johnson stands on a long dock overlooking his family's Mystery Bay shoreline, which is heavily laden with palm-sized oysters, many of which will end up as fine cuisine on restaurant tables from Seattle to southern California.
More than 70 boats anchored in Mystery Bay threaten the precious cold-water mollusks.
The state Health Department last week declared the boats as sources of pollution.
That does not go over well with Johnson, a member of the fourth generation of his family to manage the 87-year-old family-owned shellfish business long held by his retiring father Carl.
In the shellfish business for more than 60 years, Carl Johnson, now 87, started delivering clams to Seattle in 1946.
Jake's great-grandfather, Harold Johnson, founded the business in 1921.
The company leases 32 tidelands in Jefferson County, and owns 4,000 feet of shore where the business is located near the Nordland General Store, once owned by the Johnsons on Flagler Road.
The largest commercial shellfish operation in Mystery Bay, it is now known as Marrowstone Island Shellfish Co.
Worried about future
State and county officials say boaters are dumping the sewage from the heads aboard their vessels, and the thought of that worries Johnson because it could lead to the closure of Mystery Bay beaches to commercial harvest.
The sight of some boats angers Johnson. He wants illegally-anchored or moored boats moved.
Help appears to be on the way, with state and county officials now assessing the problem in an attempt to come up with a solution. That could include boat removal.
From his home on a hillside overlooking the scenic bay, Johnson said he easily tracks boats coming and going in Mystery Bay.
"You can see the difference over the past 10 years," Johnson said, pulling out photos taken 12 years ago, showing four boats in the bay.
Today, he has counted as many as 73 boats, some he fears are all but abandoned and could sink, seeping fuel, oil and whatever wastewater remains on board.
Johnson said 30 of the boats are there seasonally, from June through September.
He said there are eight buoys for the state parks on the island.
He mentioned 35 boats that he sees there year-round.
"These boats aren't live-aboards," he said. "These boats are moored here for storage.
"What I think is this isn't controlled. DNR is not enforcing it."
State authority
The state Department of Natural Resources holds stewardship authority over the bay's waters that the state Health Department says is threatened.
Mystery Bay is but a fraction of 2.6 million acres of state aquatic lands that Resources manages.
Resources oversees the state's bedlands under Puget Sound, the coast, and many of Washington's beaches, natural lakes and navigable rivers.
The goal of the state management is not only to facilitate navigation, commerce, and public access, but also to ensure aquatic habitat protection.
"We're aware of what's been happening in the bay and it's a concern to us," said Jane Chavey, Resources communications manager.
Meeting this week
Chavey said that Resources representatives will meet with Jefferson County officials this week, along with private and tribal owners.
"We're going to assess what's going on," Chavey said.
About 50 boats must be reviewed for ownership, she said, "to see if they are transients and need to move or have permits.
"Obviously, 70 vessels are too many for that small bay, so we do have to assess the potential environmental damage that might be there.
"It appears that some of the boats are going to need to leave."
She said that none of the boats are listed with Resources as derelict.
The agency, in partnership with Jefferson County Environmental Health, removes derelict vessels from county waters.
She said there could be a small number of derelict vessels that Resources has not accounted for in the bay.
Under state law, boaters are allowed to anchor boats in state Resources waters for 30 days.
"But beyond that they are not supposed to be in one place," she said, and must be moved to a new location.
County action
Al Scalf, Jefferson County Department of Community Development director, confirmed his department was working with county Public Health, Resources and private and tribal commercial shellfish harvesters to come up with a strategic plan addressing the boat moorage and anchorage issue.
They plan to meet on Friday, he said.
The options, he said, are to remove the buoys that boaters moor to, or close the beaches if pollution levels continue to grow.
County and state officials are attempting to list with those who have legal permits to moor on buoys, and those who do not, Scalf said.
The county has no existing code covering vessels anchored in county water, but Scalf said he expects such a cose to be considered by the county Planning Commission in the shoreline master plan process this year.
"We will propose four buoys per acre," said Scalf.
So far as Mystery Bay is concerned, "we're reaching a point where we may move in and remove buoys and anchors."
Johnson, a septic system contractor, said he wonders if the pollution detected in the bay is from a failing septic system.
He also has concerns about homeowners running too much water into their septic systems, now that Jefferson County Public Utility District water has been extended to Marrowstone Island.
The more water homeowners run into their septic systems, he said, the more pollution from drainfields seeping into the bay.
"We are a fourth generation business and I have plans to be a five-generation business," said Johnson, adding, "That's what's in question."
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Jefferson County Editor Jeff Chew can be reached at 360-385-2335 or jeff.chew@peninsuladailynews.com.
Last modified: May 11. 2008 9:00PM