Help save Pacific Flyway birds in Humboldt Bay

Aquaculture | CDFW
Aquaculture. Photo: CDFW.

Once again we need your help to protect one of the west coast’s most important places for birds. In Humboldt Bay, a loophole in state authority leaves these essential wetlands vulnerable. Send your message today to save this critical habitat! 

Located in the far northwestern corner of California, Humboldt Bay is a globally significant Important Bird Area. The dense eelgrass beds and mudflats of Humboldt Bay support Pacific herring, Dungeness crab, waterbirds, and the highest diversity of shorebirds on the west coast and some of the highest abundances.

Coast Seafoods already farms 300 acres in the bay- twice as large as the farming footprint in Tomales Bay. These farms damage eelgrass beds and exclude birds from their feeding grounds. Now the company wants to exploit this loophole to expand its farming convert more than 600 additional acres of healthy eelgrass in Humboldt Bay to oyster farming. This massive project would convert an additional 20% of Humboldt Bay’s eelgrass to oyster farming. 

There is substantial and growing opposition to the company’s outrageous proposal, but we need your voices to continue to help turn the tide and protect this place for birds forever.

Please send your email to the Humboldt Bay Harbor District today, asking them to reject the seafood company’s proposal to expand aquaculture farming operations in Humboldt Bay, and to support a balanced approach that would allow thriving oyster farms and bird and resource protection.