Environmental Effects of Shellfish Aquaculture in the Northeast

One of the great impediments to further development of shellfish aquaculture in the Northeast Region is a perception that industry expansion could have negative environmental effects on our coastal waters. Although considerable research over the last 25 years has focused on both the positive and negative effects of rebuilding mollusc populations, which could filter enormous quantities of algae, such studies are sometimes classed as environmental “impacts,” which has a connotation of aesthetic loss and a perceived “loss of nature.” The purpose of this fact sheet is to discuss the potential environmental effects of expanding shellfish aquaculture and social issues surrounding such expansion and to provide key scientific resources.