Table of Contents
Welcome
From the Chair of ISRS
Dear Colleagues and Friends,
On behalf of the International Shellfish Restoration Society, it is my great honor to welcome you to ICSR 2026 — the 17th International Conference on Shellfish Restoration.
Since 1996, ICSR has brought together the global community of shellfish restoration practitioners — scientists, resource managers, tribal leaders, industry professionals, and community advocates — to share knowledge, forge partnerships, and advance the science and practice of restoration. This year we gather in the Pacific Northwest, in the heart of historic shellfish abundance and world-class restoration work.
ISRS was founded to ensure this community has a permanent home — a year-round network that sustains the connections forged at each conference. Whether you are a longtime ICSR participant or joining us for the first time, you are part of something important. Thank you for being here.
From the Co-Host Organizations
Dear Friends and Colleagues,
Welcome to ICSR 2026! The Squaxin Island Tribe and Puget Sound Restoration Fund are honored to co-host this year’s conference in Puget Sound — the second time on the Pacific Coast, following Nanaimo in 2001, and the first time here in Puget Sound. Thank you so much for being here and contributing to this big transnational shellfish knowledge exchange — encompassing 10 countries, 15+ Native Sovereign Nations, and 15+ states. We are excited about diving into an intensive 3-day program, spanning 166 presentations, 15+ shellfish and invertebrate species, and all the beautiful, complicated, challenging aspects of shellfish restoration in a changing world.
As we work to build abundance, resilience, species richness, and diversity in our coastal waters, it is equally wonderful to emulate that richness in our human communities as we gather here to celebrate culture and communities that grow out of healthy shellfish populations. As mollusks do their good work along shorelines throughout the world, so must we — filtering and nurturing ideas, building multi-generational community structure, and cross fertilizing.
At-a-Glance
| Day | Morning | Afternoon | Evening |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sunday Oct 4 |
— | Registration 4:00–6:00 p.m. |
Welcome Reception 6:00–8:00 p.m. |
| Monday Oct 5 |
Welcoming Address (Chairman Kris Peters) Keynote (Nicole Norris) + Sessions |
Sessions | Lessons Learned Panel & Happy Hour 5:15–6:30 p.m. |
| Tuesday Oct 6 |
Keynotes (Forsman & Gibbs) + Sessions |
Sessions Posters & Art 4:30–6:30 p.m. |
Traditional Salmon & Clam Cookout 6:30–8:30 p.m. |
| Wednesday Oct 7 |
Closing Remarks Keynotes (Kura Paul-Burke & Eric Quaempts) + Sessions |
Field Sessions & Golf depart 1:45 p.m. South Puget Sound sites |
— |
| Thursday Oct 8 Post-Conference |
Oyster Bed Visit 9:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. |
Native Olympia Oyster Collaborative (NOOC) Meeting 1:30–4:30 p.m. |
— |
* The main conference runs Sunday, October 4 through Wednesday, October 7. Thursday, October 8 is a post-conference day featuring optional field sessions and the Native Olympia Oyster Collaborative (NOOC) workshop.
* Regarding food service, a Welcoming Reception is provided on Sunday. Breakfast is provided Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. Coffee breaks are provided mid-morning and mid-afternoon. Lunches are provided Monday (buffet), Tuesday (buffet), and Wednesday (box lunches). A Happy Hour on Monday occurs during the Panel Discussion. A Traditional Salmon Cookout Dinner is provided Tuesday. Monday’s dinner is on your own.
Conference Overview
The International Conference on Shellfish Restoration (ICSR) provides a forum that draws attention to shellfish restoration, and fosters partnerships, initiatives, and the exchange of information necessary to further the science and practice of shellfish restoration. ICSR 2026 highlights the intersection of Indigenous knowledge, climate resilience, and modern restoration science.
Since the first ICSR was held on Hilton Head Island in South Carolina in 1996, this conference has been held worldwide—from the United States to Canada, Scotland, the Netherlands, Australia, and beyond. Unique in approach, ICSR fosters lasting collaborations and friendships among practitioners on the leading edge of molluscan shellfish restoration.
The 2026 conference comes to the Pacific Northwest for the first time, co-hosted by the Squaxin Island Tribe and the Puget Sound Restoration Fund at the Squaxin Island Tribe’s Little Creek Casino Resort in Shelton, Washington. The conference will open with a Welcoming Address from Chairman Kris Peters of the Squaxin Island Tribe, honoring the deep cultural connections between the Squaxin peoples and shellfish resources.
The overall theme of ICSR 2026 is: Engaging Communities, Collaborating with Knowledge Holders, and Advancing Restorative Aquaculture. We anticipate attendees from all realms of restoration, including practitioners, researchers, growers, Indigenous communities, and natural resources managers.
ICSR 2026 Sponsors
S'Klallam Tribe
Tribal Community
of Fish & Wildlife
Exhibitors & Committees
ICSR 2026 Exhibitors
Exhibitors will be located in the poster hall and available throughout the conference. The following organizations are participating as exhibitors at ICSR 2026:
Exhibitor list to be confirmed. Interested in exhibiting? Contact info@shellfish-society.org
Planning Committee
- Betsy Peabody, Chair — Puget Sound Restoration Fund
- Viviane Barry — Suquamish Tribe
- Ryan Crim — Puget Sound Restoration Fund
- Aaron Kornbluth — ISRS
- Julieta Martinelli — WA Dept. of Fish & Wildlife
- Lisa Paton — ISRS
- Phoebe Racine — The Nature Conservancy
- Elsa Schwartz — Puget Sound Restoration Fund
- LaDon Swann — National Sea Grant, Aquaculture Liaison
- Bill Taylor — Taylor Shellfish
- Kerstin Wasson — Elkhorn Slough NERR; NOOC
Program Team
- Julieta Martinelli, Program Chair — WA Dept. of Fish & Wildlife
- Peter Kingsley-Smith, Co-Chair — Independent Shellfish Ecologist
- Ryan Crim — Puget Sound Restoration Fund
- Michael Doall — Stony Brook University
- Philine zu Ermgassen — Native Oyster Restoration Alliance
- Matthew Gray — Univ. of Maryland Center for Environmental Science
- Jeff Hetrick — Alutiiq Pride Marine Institute
- Dominic McAfee — Adelaide University
- Betsy Peabody — Puget Sound Restoration Fund
- Melissa Poe — Washington Sea Grant, Univ. of Washington
Important Conference Information
Registration Information
To participate in any aspect of the conference, you must be registered. Badges are required for all technical and social events. The Registration Desk is located in the main lobby of the Little Creek Casino Resort.
Keynote Presentations
Speakers are:
- Chairman Kris Peters, Squaxin Island Tribe — Welcoming Address, Monday, October 5
- Chairman Leonard Forsman, Suquamish Tribe — Keynote Address, Tuesday, October 6
- Nicole (Coly) Norris, Halalt First Nation, British Columbia — Keynote Address, Monday, October 5
- Mitchell Gibbs, Dunghutti Nation, University of Sydney — Keynote Address, Tuesday, October 6
- Kura Paul-Burke, Ngāti Whakahemo, Ngāti Mākino, Ngāti Awa — Aotearoa New Zealand — Keynote Address, Wednesday, October 7
- Eric Quaempts, Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation — Keynote Address, Wednesday, October 7
Technical Program
ICSR 2026 features 15 scientific sessions with keynote presentations, panel discussions, and contributed oral, poster, and lightning talk presentations:
- S01: Indigenous-led Contemporary Restoration
- S02: Restoring Ancestral Shellfish Mariculture
- S03: Hatchery Innovations, Upscaling & Industry
- S04: Restorative Aquaculture
- S05: Genetics, Disease & Biosecurity
- S06: Using Historical and Geohistorical Data to Inform Restoration Practices
- S07: Urban Shellfish Restoration
- S08: Restoration of Other Molluscs & Invertebrates
- S09: Lessons Learned from Ostrea Communities of Practice
- S10: Resilience Building, Connectivity & Seascape Approaches
- S11: Outreach, Creative Communications & Storytelling
- S12: Shell Recycling
- S13: Approaches to Substrate Supplementation
- S14: Freshwater Mussel Restoration
- S15: Ostrea lurida Restoration Efforts
Continuing Education Credits
ICSR 2026 has been pre-approved for up to 10 Continuing Education Credits (CECs) through the Society for Ecological Restoration (SER) Certified Ecological Restoration Practitioner (CERP) program. Attendance verification is required to receive credits. Sign-in sheets will be available at the conference; attendees may also self-report using a Certificate of Completion. For questions, contact certification@ser.org.
Important Conference Information
Networking Events
Welcome Reception
Sunday, October 4 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Little Creek Casino Resort
Lessons Learned Panel & Happy Hour
Monday, October 5
Sharing worst mistakes and best lessons from the field.
Poster Session & Art Show/Auction
Tuesday, October 6, 4:30–6:30 p.m.
Open poster viewing and art show, 4:30–6:30 p.m. Local artists with shellfish-inspired photography, books, and jewelry. Coordinated by Lisa Paton.
Traditional Salmon & Clam Cookout
Tuesday, October 6, 6:30 p.m. onwards
A traditional salmon and clam cookout hosted by the Squaxin Island Tribe at Little Creek Casino Resort.
Field Sessions — Wednesday, October 7
Guided, site-based learning at active restoration sites, working shellfish farms, Tribal cultural sites, and conservation hatcheries across South Puget Sound, led by regional scientists and practitioners. Sessions depart between 1:30 and 2:00 p.m. Sign up during registration. Capacity is limited.
| Activity | Capacity | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Olympia Oyster Company Tour | 50 spots | $25 |
| Chew Center / Conservation Hatchery + Fresh Oysters | 40 spots | $25 |
| Squaxin Island Museum Home of Sacred Belongings | 20 spots | $25 |
| Kayak Paddle to Hope Island | 14 spots | $150 |
| Guided Boat Tour of South Sound | 8 spots | $75 |
| Golf Tournament | 6–10 spots | Pay at course |
The optional Golf Tournament is a relaxed social outing for attendees — pay-at-course and not included in registration.
Optional Low Tide Field Session (NOOC Workgroup)
Thursday, October 8, 9:00 a.m.–12:45 p.m. (Post-Conference)
12–25 spots • Free
A guided field study of natural Olympia oyster beds and historic oyster dikes, in coordination with the Native Olympia Oyster Collaborative. Personal vehicles required (~40-min drive). Knee boots recommended.
Information for Presenters
Presentation File Submission
Bring your presentation file (PowerPoint or PDF) on a USB drive to load onto the session laptop before your session, ideally the day before or the morning of. There is no advance email submission deadline; last-minute changes on your way to the conference are fine.
Oral Presentations
All presentations will be in the main conference room or breakout rooms. Fifteen minutes will be allotted for a contributed oral talk, including 12 minutes for presentation and three minutes for discussion. Session moderators will adhere strictly to these time limitations. Speakers should check in with moderators at least 15 minutes prior to session start. Each room will be equipped with a projector, screen, laptop computer, microphone, and laser pointer. Photographs of presentations are discouraged without the express consent of the presenter.
Lightning Talks
Lightning talks are 5-minute presentations with a maximum of 5 slides. No Q&A during the session — presenters are encouraged to make themselves available during breaks. Lightning talk presenters should check in with the session moderator at least 15 minutes before the session. Photographs of presentations are discouraged without the express consent of the presenter.
Poster Presentations
Posters will be displayed in the poster hall and available for viewing throughout the conference. Each poster presenter will have access to a foam core tackboard measuring 4’ (1.2 m) high by 4’ (1.2 m) wide and pushpins will be provided.
Poster Set-Up
Monday, October 5, 7:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Poster Session & Art Show
Tuesday, October 6, 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Poster presenters are to be present at their poster during this time.
Poster Removal
Wednesday, October 7, before 1:00 p.m.
Schedule of Presentations
and Activities
Welcome to ICSR 2026. Over the next four days, you’ll find a program built to reflect the full breadth of our field — from Indigenous-led restoration to hatchery science, across native oysters, mussels, and clam gardens. I’m honored to help bring this community together in the heart of the Salish Sea.
Program Chair, ICSR 2026; Washington State Dept. of Fish & Wildlife
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2026
ICSR 2026 Registration
Tower 2 Hotel Lobby, Little Creek Casino Resort
Welcome Reception
Little Creek Casino Resort
MONDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2026
ICSR 2026 Registration
Tower 2 Hotel Lobby
Breakfast
Plenary — Welcoming Address
Chairman Kris Peters, Squaxin Island Tribe
Welcome to ICSR 2026 — Betsy Peabody & Dot Leonard
Keynote Address
Nicole Norris, Halalt First Nation
Coffee Break
Concurrent Sessions 1
Room 1: S02 Restoring Ancestral Shellfish Mariculture • Room 2: S13 Approaches to Substrate Supplementation • Room 3: S04 Restorative Aquaculture
Lunch (Provided)
Concurrent Sessions 2
Room 1: S02 Ancestral Mariculture • Room 2: S13 Substrate Supplementation & S12 Shell Recycling • Room 3: S04 Restorative Aquaculture & S10 Resilience Building, Connectivity & Seascape Approaches
Coffee Break
Concurrent Sessions 3
Room 1: S11 Outreach, Creative Comms & Storytelling • Room 2: S12 Shell Recycling • Room 3: S04 Restorative Aquaculture & S10 Resilience Building, Connectivity & Seascape Approaches
Keynote Remarks
Pacific Coast Shellfish Growers Association (PCSGA)
Lessons Learned Panel & Happy Hour
Dinner on Your Own
* Session assignments reflect the current draft program and may shift. Individual presentation titles and speakers are published online.
Schedule (Tuesday)
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2026
Breakfast
Keynote Address
Chairman Leonard Forsman, Suquamish Tribe
Keynote Address
Mitchell Gibbs, Dunghutti Nation
Coffee Break
Concurrent Sessions 1
Room 1: S01 Indigenous-led Contemporary Restoration • Room 2: S08 Other Molluscs & Invertebrates • Room 3: S03 Hatchery Innovations, Upscaling & Industry
Lunch (Provided)
Concurrent Sessions 2
Room 1: S09 Ostrea Communities of Practice • Room 2: S08 Other Molluscs & Invertebrates • Room 3: S03 Hatchery Innovations, Upscaling & Industry & S05 Genetics, Disease & Biosecurity
Coffee Break
Concurrent Sessions 3
Room 1: S09 Ostrea Communities of Practice • Room 2: S07 Urban Shellfish Restoration • Room 3: S05 Genetics, Disease & Biosecurity
Poster Session & Art Show/Auction
Traditional Salmon & Clam Cookout
Squaxin Island Tribe’s Little Creek Casino Resort
* Session assignments reflect the current draft program and may shift. Individual presentation titles and speakers are published online.
Schedule (Wednesday)
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2026
Breakfast
Keynote Address
Kura Paul-Burke
Keynote Address
Eric Quaempts, Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation
Closing Remarks
Dot Leonard & Betsy Peabody
Coffee Break
Concurrent Sessions
Room 1: S14 Freshwater Mussel Restoration • Room 2: S15 Ostrea lurida Restoration Efforts • Room 3: S06 Using Historical & Geohistorical Data
Hotel Check-Out & Box Lunch (Provided)
All posters must be removed before 1:00 p.m.
Field Sessions & Golf Tournament
Depart 1:45 p.m. — Olympia Oyster Company Tour, Chew Center Hatchery, Squaxin Island Museum, Kayak Paddle, Boat Tour, Golf Tournament. See Field Sessions section for details.
* Session assignments reflect the current draft program and may shift. Individual presentation titles and speakers are published online.
Schedule (Thursday)
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2026 — POST-CONFERENCE
Breakfast on Your Own
Oyster Bed Visit
A guided field study of natural Olympia oyster beds and historic oyster dikes. NOOC Workgroup participants welcome.
Personal vehicles required (~40-minute drive). Knee boots recommended.
Lunch
NOOC Meeting
Native Olympia Oyster Collaborative (NOOC) working session.
Little Creek Casino Resort
Thursday, October 8 is a post-conference day. Participation in the low tide field session and NOOC workshop is optional and open to all registered attendees.
Poster Session
Poster presentations will be displayed in the poster hall. Posters will be on display throughout the conference, from Monday morning through Wednesday at 1:00 p.m.
Poster Format Guidelines
- Maximum poster size: 4 feet (1.2 m) wide by 4 feet (1.2 m) tall (landscape or portrait orientation accepted).
- Foam core tackboards and pushpins will be provided.
- Include your title, author names, affiliations, and contact information prominently at the top.
- Use a minimum font size of 24pt for body text and 72pt for your title to ensure readability from a distance.
- Include clear figures, graphs, or photographs to illustrate your findings.
- Limit text to key points — posters should be visually engaging, not text-heavy.
- Include a brief conclusion or summary of findings.
Schedule
Poster Set-Up: Monday, October 5, 7:30 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
Poster Session & Art Show: Tuesday, October 6, 4:30–6:30 p.m.
Poster Removal: Wednesday, October 7, before 1:00 p.m.
Poster presenters: please be present at your poster during the Poster Session on Tuesday from 5:00 to 6:30 p.m.
Keynote & Welcoming Speakers
Chairman Kris Peters
Chairman Leonard Forsman
Nicole (Coly) Norris
Keynote & Welcoming Speakers continued
Mitchell Gibbs
Kura Paul-Burke
Eric Quaempts
Session Descriptions
S01 — Indigenous-led Contemporary Restoration
Indigenous communities are leading shellfish restoration efforts that address ecological degradation and revitalize cultural practices. This session highlights Indigenous-led projects that integrate cultural stewardship, collaborative research, and co-governance frameworks.
S02 — Restoring Ancestral Shellfish Mariculture
Indigenous Nations are reviving ancestral mariculture systems to increase food sovereignty and biological diversity. This session showcases initiatives braiding community knowledge and professional research to steward place-based cultural ecosystems such as clam and sea gardens.
S03 — Hatchery Innovations, Upscaling & Industry
Advances in hatchery and husbandry techniques that improve shellfish production, yield, and resilience. Presentations explore production analytics, hatchery network development, and innovations in logistics and implementation.
S04 — Restorative Aquaculture
Farming practices that deliver measurable ecosystem benefits: water filtration, habitat creation, carbon sequestration, and nutrient remediation. This session bridges commercial aquaculture and ecological restoration.
S05 — Genetics, Disease & Biosecurity
The intersection of population genetics, disease dynamics, and biosecurity risks in shellfish restoration. Speakers address genetic variation in resilience, selective breeding, and practical biosecurity measures.
S06 — Using Historical and Geohistorical Data to Inform Restoration Practices
This session explores how diverse records of the past — including time-averaged shell deposits, middens, and archival documents — can inform the restoration, management, and conservation of shellfish resources. Contributions will highlight how long-term baselines derived from these sources provide critical context for understanding past population and habitat conditions and changes over time. By integrating these insights with modern monitoring records, the session emphasizes data-driven strategies for improving the long-term success of shellfish restoration and habitat management.
S07 — Urban Shellfish Restoration
Urban shellfish restoration and the role of interdisciplinary practitioners in restoring urban coastal ecosystems. Multi-sector collaborations and creative approaches to working in urban waters.
Session Descriptions continued
S08 — Restoration of Other Molluscs & Invertebrates
Technologies for restoration of species other than oysters and clams, including other bivalves, invertebrates, crustaceans, and echinoderms. Creating habitat and outstocking strategies.
S09 — Lessons Learned from Ostrea Communities of Practice
Regional communities of practice supporting recovery of native flat oysters (Ostrea spp.). Experts highlight how regional perspectives and collaboration support oyster recovery across continents.
S10 — Resilience Building, Connectivity & Seascape Approaches
Research and restoration strategies that connect habitat patches into durable, self-sustaining metapopulations — including larval connectivity modeling, seascape-scale site selection, and approaches for building resilience.
S11 — Outreach, Creative Communications & Storytelling
Real-world examples of storytelling and outreach that have helped spark meaningful community connection to shellfish restoration. The first half focuses on inspiration; the second half is hands-on storyboard development.
S12 — Shell Recycling
Shell recycling as the cornerstone of shellfish reef restoration. Collection, processing, curing, storage, and deployment at scale, including biosecurity considerations, community involvement, and regulatory frameworks.
S13 — Approaches to Substrate Supplementation
Provision of suitable substrate for restoring dense assemblages of bivalve molluscs. Alternative settlement substrates used to garner ecosystem services including habitat provisioning, water quality improvement, and nature-based shoreline protection.
S14 — Freshwater Mussel Restoration
Conservation, propagation, and reintroduction of freshwater mussels — among the most imperiled groups of organisms in North America — with an emphasis on partnerships across Tribes, agencies, and community organizations.
S15 — Ostrea lurida Restoration Efforts
A focused, lightning-talk session on Olympia oyster (Ostrea lurida) restoration.
Oral & Poster Presentation Abstracts
For the latest program updates, visit shellfish-society.org/icsr2026.html
Notes
Venue Maps
Property Map (Exterior)
Property Map (Interior)
Little Creek Casino Resort
91 WA-108, Shelton, WA 98584
littlecreek.com | (360) 427-7711
Printed on recycled paper by Nisqually Post & Print, owned by the Nisqually Tribe’s Medicine Creek Enterprise Corporation.
© 2026 International Shellfish Restoration Society | shellfish-society.org
Tax ID (EIN): 39-2829151