It’s Washington Shellfish Week. Celebrate appropriately.
We are happy as a clam to report that Gov. Jay Inslee on Monday declared this the official Washington Shellfish Week.
Actually, shellfish week started on Saturday, but the governor's office just sent out the press release Monday noting that June 4 -11 is set aside "to reflect the importance of shellfish in the state."
The shellfish industry is worth $184 million to the state, and supports about 2,700 jobs, the governor's office said.
At the beginning of the year, Inslee announced the Shellfish Initiative, a collaborative effort to support the state's various mollusks and bivalves and the water quality they need to survive. . . at least long enough to be eaten. Shellfish week comes at a time when a significant number of marine beds are closed for various biotoxins for harvesting some or all the critters.
