For certain shellfish species, a mechanical harvester has the potential to greatly reduce harvesting costs. Traditionally, hand rakes are used in shellfish harvesting in British Columbia. In order to determine if it is environmentally feasible to use a mechanical harvester, an environmental assessment on mechanical harvesting and traditional harvesting needs to occur for comparison. In July 2008, a preliminary oceanographic assessment was conducted at three study sites in Baynes Sound. Each of the three study sites contained a mechanical and manual harvest plot and reference stations. Sampling stations were established at fixed positions within each plot and at four positions along a downstream transect (following the dominant current direction.) Surveys were conducted 24 hours pre-harvest, immediately post-harvest, and 24 hours post-harvest. Parameters included in situ sediment sulphides, eH (REDOX), sediment grain size (SGS), visual condition (digital imagery), sedimentation (silt flux) and sediment macro-fauna. Results show only localized environmental effects associated with each harvest approach; with no significant difference documented between the manual and mechanical harvesting methods on the study beaches. These results indicate the use of a mechanical shellfish harvester is as environmentally sound as the traditional method of hand harvesting, and poses no additional environmental risks. Introducing mechanization in shellfish harvesting will allow shellfish producers to reduce costs and increase profits, making the British Columbian shellfish industry more competitive with other suppliers. / Graduate
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:uvic.ca/oai:dspace.library.uvic.ca:1828/3774 |
| Date | 23 December 2011 |
| Creators | Stirling, David |
| Contributors | Cross, Stephen Fredrick |
| Source Sets | University of Victoria |
| Language | English, English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Rights | Available to the World Wide Web |
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