Meadowdale Middle School 7 th & 8th Grade Lynnwood, WA Spring 2014
Comparisons of Possible Sites for Two Aquaculture Species in the San Juan Island Area Meadowdale Middle School Spring, 2014 Ryan Kennedy, Raina Shaw, Aryella Barribeau, Shana Prine, Ethan Sargent, Jocelyn Needham
Our Mission: Mr. Clams Seafood Company has hired us to find the best site to place an aquaculture farm in the San Juan Islands area.
Overview of two species for aquaculture Native to Japan 1-3 years to develop to market size 1.5-3 inches long $10/pound value 98% of world s oyster production! Generally do not produce pearls. Geoduck Native to our region Name means dig deep (Nisqually tribe) Siphon can be 3-6 ft, up to 15 pounds! Among oldest living animals (168 years old!) $10/pound in US, $40/pound in China
Sample Sites Obstruction Pass Pelican Beach Spencer s Spit Huckleberry Island East of Lopez
Cool science materials we used: Plankton Nets Niskin Bottle Sediment Sifter Bucket-ometer Graduated Cylinders Colorimeter
Methods/Procedure Sailing team navigates to deployment site Deploy plankton nets at surface and at 20 meters for a 5 minute tow. Collect water sample with bucket at surface and using niskin bottle at 20 meter depth. Settle plankton to measure biomass. Use colorimeter to measure salinity, dissolved oxygen, ph, and temperature. Collect and sift a sample of the sediments. Record all data on Motherboard
70 Temperature Data Temperature of water in deg F 60 50 40 30 20 10 Temperature Surface Temp 20 Meters Ideal Geoduck Ideal P. 0 Huckleberry Island Pelican Beach Obstruction Pass Spencers Spit East of Lopez RECOMMENDATIONS: Huckleberry Island and Pelican Beach best for, Spencer s Spit and Obstruction Pass best for Geoducks.
Salinity Data Salinity in ppt 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 salinity surface salinity 20 meters ideal Geoduck Ideal P. oyster Recommendations: The best places to farm Geoducks would be Huckleberry Island and Pelican Beach at 20 meters. For s, East of Lopez, Spencer Spit, and Obstruction Pass (all at 20 meters in depth).
Acidity of Water ph Level 8.25 8.2 8.15 8.1 8.05 8 7.95 7.9 7.85 7.8 7.75 ph Surface ph 20 Meters Ideal P. Ideal Geoduck Recommendations: Obstruction Pass and East of Lopez best for both species ( and Geoduck).
Dissolved Oxygen D.O. in parts per thousand (ppt) 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 DO Surface DO 20 M Ideal Geoduck Ideal P. Recommendations: East of Lopez at 20 meters and Obstruction Pass at surface best for. Spencer s Spit at surface best for Geoduck.
Amount of Plankton Plankton mass collected in tow (ml) 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 Huckleberry Island Pelican Beach Obstruction Pass Spencers Spit East of Lopez Plankton Tow at Surface Plankton Tow at 20 Meters Recommendations: Since the more food the better, Pelican Beach at 20 meters and East of Lopez would be the best places to farm both species.
Location Sediment Ideal Geoduck Ideal Huckleberry Island Gravel Sand, Mud Rock Pelican Beach Gravel Sand, Mud Rock Obstruction Pass Spencer Spit Gravel Sand, Mud Rock Sand, Gravel, Shell Sand, Mud Rock East of Lopez Rock Sand, Mud Rock Recommendations: Spencer s Spit best for Geoducks, East of Lopez best for s.
Overall Best Location for Farm Location Temp Salinity Amount of Plankton Dissolved Oxygen Water Acidity (ph) Sediment Huckleberry Island Pelican Beach Geoduck or Obstruction Pass Geoduck or Spencer s Spit E. Lopez Geoduck or Geoduck or
Overall Best Location for Geoduck Farm: Location Temp Salinity Amount of Plankton Dissolved Oxygen Water Acidity (ph) Sediment Huckleberry Island Geoduck Pelican Beach Geoduck Geoduck or Obstruction Pass Geoduck Geoduck or Spencer s Spit Geoduck Geoduck Geoduck E. Lopez Geoduck or Geoduck or
Overall Best Sites Spencer s Spit Geoducks East of Lopez P.
ANY QUESTIONS? Pic raina shaw here