Shellfish

The Hood Canal and Strait of Juan de Fuca have abundant sensitive shellfish habitat that is vulnerable to climate change and variability. Changes in sediment inputs to shellfish beds and changes in water temperature and water chemistry have the potential to disrupt the health and reproduction of valuable shellfish resources. Increases in water temperature, water acidity, and sea level rise are of particular concern as they all have the ability to disrupt every part of the life-cycles of shellfish.