Central Coast Geoduck

This collaborative research project will explore geoduck aquaculture potential in a new farming region – the BC Central Coast. The results will help the Central Coast Commercial Fisheries Association, a business alliance of four member First Nations, diversify the economic development activities within their traditional territories.

Project Dates: June 2020 – July 31, 2025

Funding Amount: $381,250

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Project Summary

The goal of this project was to assess intertidal geoduck aquaculture feasibility at four test sites in the BC Central Coast, in partnership with the Central Coast Commercial Fisheries Association (CCCFA) and the Central Coast Indigenous Resource Alliance (CCIRA). CCCFA and CCIRA hold vast knowledge and experience when it comes to marine fisheries and are looking to diversify the economic development opportunities for their member Nations to include geoduck aquaculture – a challenging yet highly lucrative aquaculture opportunity for coastal communities. 

The project team visited and considered many potential test sites, some of which were eliminated based on preliminary assessments of water quality, accessibility or substrate. Ultimately, four sites were chosen as geoduck aquaculture test sites, located in the traditional territories of the Heiltsuk Nation and Kitasoo Xai’Xais Nation, where more detailed water quality and substrate analyses were completed. Geoduck seed were produced at a hatchery on Vancouver Island using Central Coast broodstock and were boosted at the hatchery to approximately 5-mm total length. Geoduck seed were outplanted at the test sites in August 2023 in an intertidal grid of Vexar® mesh tubes. However, likely due to their small size at outplanting, the planted geoduck seed did not survive. All sites were fully decommissioned in 2025 by removing the Vexar® mesh tubes from the experimental plots. The project provided practical knowledge and training related to geoduck aquaculture site selection, permitting, broodstock collection, seed production/transport, and anti-predator infrastructure. The CCCFA and CCIRA are using the findings and lessons learned from this research to continue to explore the economic viability of geoduck aquaculture on the Central Coast. 

 

Research Team

Partners

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News Stories and Coverage

• Central Coast First Nations partner with North Island College on geoduck aquaculture pilot
• Central Coast First Nations and NIC pilot geoduck aquaculture

 

UN Sustainable Development Goals

The UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) align with the college’s commitment to community well-being and sustainability. By integrating SDGs into applied research at NIC, we drive innovation that supports regional development while addressing critical social, environmental and economic priorities.