Public health and personal livelihoods: socioeconomic impacts of the response to shellfish-transmitted norovirus in Hammersley Inlet, Puget Sound

This research focuses on Hammersley Inlet in Washington State, U.S.A. Hammersley Inlet is a highly productive shellfish growing area, where shellfish farming is a significant source of income and employment. In 2014 and 2017,... [ view full abstract ]

This research focuses on Hammersley Inlet in Washington State, U.S.A. Hammersley Inlet is a highly productive shellfish growing area, where shellfish farming is a significant source of income and employment. In 2014 and 2017, it was linked to a series of shellfish-transmitted norovirus outbreaks. Norovirus, which is bioaccumulated in shellfish, is not naturally occurring in the marine environment but enters it via human sewage. These outbreaks resulted in recalls and closures of shellfish growing parcels by the Washington State Department of Health (DOH). While the source of the 2014 outbreak was identified, the source of the 2017 outbreak remains unclear.

DOH, along with federal and county-level partners, continues to study the hydrology, environmental conditions and pollution sources in Hammersley Inlet. DOH also created a survey that focuses on the impacts the 2014 and 2017 norovirus outbreaks had on shellfish growers in Hammersley Inlet. The survey gathers information on six key themes: economic impacts, cultural importance of the industry, familiarity with norovirus prevention, risk perception of the likelihood of shellfish illness, adaptability, and satisfaction with the response of DOH.

Results show that many shellfish growers suffered significant economic losses during the outbreaks, including long-term damage in public perception. Water quality, in this case, is imperative not just to human health but to economic security. Making it clear that closures and recalls impact people’s livelihoods highlights the need to prioritize responsible shoreline development, especially as population growth and climate change affect the waste management infrastructure around Puget Sound.