Pierce County Interim Regulations

Pierce County introduced regulations that will be used in the interim before the shoreline master program update is final. These regulations protect recreational and residential areas, provide litter control and protect the environment. Below describes what these include. Click on this to see proposed Interim Regulations.

Regulations to protect recreational and residential areas

Gig Harbor Neighborhood, part of a Rural residential shoreline designation

If you live in or visit an area that has a shoreline designation of "Urban" or "Rural Residential", operations that use gear on the beach (tubes, nets, or other materials) will not be allowed. Pierce County PALS will be able to tell you where these areas are.

Geoduck farm workers in front of neighborhood

For operations that are closer than 1,000 feet from a home or park, geoduck farms will be limited to certain hours of operation, similar to the wild geoduck harvest rules. This includes daylight hours only, Monday through Friday and no weekend or holidays.

Trucks parked on beach near road and put-in

Access to the farms will be from the water unless the operator can provide a staging area on private property. This will help the problem of parking on private roads of equipment and employee vehicles that may restrict the neighbors use.

Geoduck farmers cannot drive on the beach below the high water mark. This will protect sensitive spawning areas and reduce visual and noise impacts.

 Truck on beach with workers

Harvest operations with hoses, waterjets powered by generators from barges

Prior to harvesting, a company must notify the neighbors of their planned activities.

 Unmarked underwater farm with loose geoduck tubes can be hazardous

Farm underwater (tubes are loose)

A survey of the planned site must be made, and the area marked with buoys. This will notify the public of a water covered site that could be hazardous.

Regulations for litter control


Geoduck farm of loose tubes

A bond of a dollar a tube will be required before a farm is planted. Tubes and nets will need to be marked with the owner's information. All gear must be removed after two and a half years or the bond will be forfeited and harvest will not be granted.

All loose gear must be removed before the next incoming tide to prevent escape into the water or adjoining beaches.

Loose tubes on beach and in water

Area beaches within 1/2 mile from the site must be patrolled for litter with the beach owner's permission to enter.

 Tubes from a farm that floated 1/2 mile or more from their farm

Tubes that have floated more than 1/2 mile from their farm.

Regulations for environmental considerations

Example of a 'Natural' shoreline designation

"Natural" shoreline designations are not allowed to have a geoduck farm on their beaches. These areas are particularly sensitive areas. Pierce County PALS can tell you where these areas are.

Baseline studies can be asked for before a farm is placed on a pristine beach. This could be a study of the eelgrass (essential salmon habitat) in the area, what else lives there, or the size of the sand particles to make sure excess silt is not deposited in the water. They may also look at currents in the area and "fetch" to determine if escapement of gear would be excessive. These are just some examples of what a baseline study might be.

 Fish in eelgrass

A flushing study may be required. This has to do with areas that don't have much tidal exchange that would normally clean out or feed an inlet. It would also be made to determine the carrying capacity of an area.

 Barge parked on shore

Care at harvest must be taken to not allow barges or anchors to damage eelgrass.

 Mud in surf during harvest

Sediment containment measures must be taken at harvest to prevent movement of fine particles into the water that would make muddy water that could effect eelgrass.
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