Farming Shellfish Sustainably, Nurturing Coastal Life
For Penn Cove, sustainability isn’t a program, it’s just how the farm has always lived with the water. For fifty years, we’ve grown mussels, clams, and oysters alongside the cold, clear tides of Whidbey Island, suspending our gear off-bottom so the seafloor stays undisturbed and life can gather around our rafts. That quiet, careful way of farming is why our mussel farm carries a green “Best Choice” rating from Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch.
Shellfish Are Inherently Good for the Environment
Mussels, clams, and oysters are natural filter feeders, quietly drawing in water, removing tiny particles, and sending it back out cleaner. Their rafts and beds act like living reefs, creating shelter and feeding grounds for countless marine species, while each harvest removes the nitrogen and carbon stored in their shells and tissue. After fifty years, we’re proud that Penn Cove still shows how a small coastal farm can grow exceptional shellfish and give back to the waters that make them possible.
