The local industry is now concentrated on around 8,000 acres, and grows Pacific oysters. Loss of acreage came with sediment deposition, changes in cultivated species, consolidation of the industry onto the most productive grounds, and ongoing problems with burrowing shrimp. Jobs in this industry are vital to the local economy. In good years workers are employed most of the year in moving oysters between beds, picking, opening, sorting, and packing them. The pay scale is above minimum wage.
Oysters are dependent for their survival on ecosystem health.
Oysters clean water as they feed, filtering out suspended sediments, plant fragments, plankton and fibers. Consequently they are vulnerable to the presence of natural toxins, pollutants, and fecal coliform bacteria in water. Their condition reflects this sensitivity, changing constantly as the water changes. See Chart 3-15 for a long term record of oyster condition. Upland management, sewage treatment, industrial effluents, and climate all affect oysters.