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Illegal clams lead to heavy fine for Point Reyes oyster farm

Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on December 10, 2009 at 10:47 pm

From the Marin Independent Journal:

“The California Coastal Commission has fined Marin’s largest oyster farm $61,250 for growing clams within a protected refuge for harbor seals.

Drakes Bay Oyster Co. owner Kevin Lunny said a faulty global positioning system device caused one of his employees to put the clams in the wrong place. Yet what Lunny calls a mistake has raised concerns about the oyster farm within the Coastal Commission, and bolstered calls by environmental groups to remove the farm from the Point Reyes National Seashore.

“This was essentially the worst possible place to put these clams,” said Cassidy Teufel, a coastal programs analyst for the state Coastal Commission. “If his employees don’t know where the harbor seal protection area is, how are they supposed to stay out of it?”

Lunny, for his part, believes he’s being unfairly targeted.

“It’s a ‘gotcha’ pattern,” said Lunny, whose hopes to extend his permit to operate within a national park has angered members of many environmental groups and divided opinion in West Marin. “We’re as sensitive as can be. We try to do the right thing. This was an inadvertent error. I don’t think we’re getting fair treatment.” … “

Read more from the Marin Independent Journal by clicking here.

December 10, 2009 · Filed Under Bay Area

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