Press Kit
Media resources and information about the International Shellfish Restoration Society
October 4–7, 2026 · Shelton, Washington · Early Bird $400 · Student $300 · through September 1
About ISRS
The International Shellfish Restoration Society (ISRS) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization established in 2025 to support the global shellfish restoration community. Born from the International Conference on Shellfish Restoration (ICSR), which has convened restoration practitioners since 1996, ISRS builds community, facilitates communication, and promotes innovation within the shellfish restoration community worldwide.
Quick Facts
- Founded: 2025
- Type: 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Organization
- Tax ID (EIN): 39-2829151
- Headquarters: United States
- Mission: To build community, facilitate communication, and promote innovation within the shellfish restoration community worldwide
- Primary Event: International Conference on Shellfish Restoration (ICSR) - held biennially since 1996
Logo & Brand Assets
Download official ISRS and ICSR logos for use in publications, presentations, websites, and media coverage. All logos are provided in SVG format for high-quality reproduction at any size.
ISRS Logos
ISRS Wide Logo (Blue)
Primary horizontal logo for light backgrounds. Best for headers, letterheads, and wide format applications.
ISRS Wide Logo (White)
Primary horizontal logo for dark backgrounds. Use on photos, colored backgrounds, or dark themes.
ISRS Round Logo
Circular badge format. Ideal for social media profiles, app icons, and square format applications.
ISRS Icon / Favicon
Simplified mark for very small applications. Use for browser favicons or tiny UI elements.
ICSR Conference Logo
ICSR Conference Logo
Official logo for the International Conference on Shellfish Restoration. Use when promoting or referencing ICSR events.
Logo Usage Guidelines
Do
- Use the blue logo on light or white backgrounds
- Use the white logo on dark or colored backgrounds
- Maintain adequate clear space around the logo
- Scale the logo proportionally
- Use the SVG format for print and large displays
- Link to shellfish-society.org when possible
Don't
- Alter the logo colors
- Stretch or distort the proportions
- Add effects (shadows, outlines, gradients)
- Place on busy or low-contrast backgrounds
- Recreate or modify the logo design
- Use outdated versions of the logo
For questions about logo usage or to request additional formats, please contact inbox@shellfish-society.org.
Photo Library & Visual Resources
Looking for high-resolution restoration imagery? The ISRS Asset Library contains curated photographs from global shellfish restoration projects, searchable by species, habitat, and tags. Photos are available under a CC-BY attribution license for editorial use. Media requesting unrestricted high-res files or conference imagery: contact us.
Brand Colors
Our brand colors reflect the marine environment we work to protect.
#2E5A8A
#4A7AB5
#546D7D
#2C3E50
Key Messages
Why Shellfish Restoration Matters
Shellfish like oysters, mussels, and clams are ecosystem engineers that provide critical services: filtering water, creating habitat for hundreds of species, protecting shorelines from erosion, and sequestering carbon. Approximately 85% of the world's native oyster reefs have been lost or are functionally extinct (Beck et al. 2011, BioScience), and mussels, clams, and other shellfish face similar crises—driven by overharvesting, habitat loss, pollution, and disease. Yet restoration works.
The Global Restoration Movement
Shellfish restoration is one of the fastest-growing areas of marine conservation. Projects now span five continents, from oyster reef restoration in the Chesapeake Bay to mussel restoration in New Zealand. ISRS connects this global community, sharing knowledge and best practices to accelerate restoration success.
ICSR: The Premier Gathering
The International Conference on Shellfish Restoration (ICSR) is the world's leading forum for shellfish restoration science and practice. Held biennially since 1996, ICSR brings together scientists, practitioners, policymakers, and industry to share research, showcase projects, and forge collaborations.
ICSR 2026 Conference
The International Conference on Shellfish Restoration (ICSR) 2026 convenes October 4–7, 2026, at Little Creek Casino Resort in Shelton, Washington — on the ancestral lands of the Squaxin Island Tribe. Hosted by the Puget Sound Restoration Fund (PSRF), ICSR 2026 is the first ICSR held in the Pacific Northwest and features keynotes and panels from four Indigenous Nations across three continents: the Squaxin Island Tribe, Suquamish Tribe, Halalt First Nation (British Columbia), and Dunghutti Nation (Australia).
The conference theme is "Engaging Communities, Collaborating with Knowledge Holders, and Advancing Restorative Aquaculture." The program features 13 concurrent sessions, a poster session and art show, field trips to Indigenous-led restoration sites and the historic Olympia Oyster Company, and a salmon & clam cookout hosted by Tribal enterprises.
Conference Quick Facts
- Dates: October 4–7, 2026
- Venue: Little Creek Casino Resort, Shelton, Washington (Squaxin Island Tribe territory)
- Host: Puget Sound Restoration Fund
- Expected attendance: 300+ practitioners from 25+ countries
- Program: 13 sessions across restoration science, Indigenous knowledge, genetics, aquaculture, and climate resilience
- Abstract deadline: June 12, 2026
- Early bird registration: through September 1, 2026
- Program Co-Chairs: Julieta Martinelli, Ph.D. (Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife) and Peter Kingsley-Smith, Ph.D.
- Program page: shellfish-society.org/icsr2026.html
Keynote & Welcoming Speakers
Chairman Kris Peters
Welcoming Address
Squaxin Island Tribe
Chairman of the Squaxin Island Tribe, whose ancestral lands encompass much of southern Puget Sound. The Squaxin people have stewarded shellfish for thousands of years under treaty rights established in the 1854 Treaty of Medicine Creek.
Chairman Leonard Forsman
Keynote
Suquamish Tribe
Chairman of the Suquamish Tribe and a leader in Tribal enterprise development, including Suquamish Seafoods (founded 1996). Longtime advocate for Indigenous stewardship of Salish Sea resources.
Ala̱g̱a̱mił Nicole "Coly" Norris
Keynote
Halalt First Nation, British Columbia
Aquaculture specialist and Indigenous knowledge holder for the Hul'q'umi'num peoples, with 25+ years in aquaculture. Has documented more than 50 ancient clam garden walls along the B.C. coast and led restoration of several within her traditional territory.
Dr. Mitchell Gibbs
Keynote
Dunghutti Nation, University of Sydney
Postdoctoral researcher working at the intersection of Traditional Knowledge and Western science to restore shellfish reefs in Gamay (Botany Bay), Australia. Recipient of the 2025 Australian Academy of Science Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Scientist Award.
Keynote headshots available upon request — contact inbox@shellfish-society.org.
Impact by the Numbers
Newell 1988; NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office. Rates vary with temperature, salinity, and oyster size. Pacific Olympia oysters (Ostrea lurida) filter considerably less.
Beck et al. 2011, BioScience 61(2): 107–116
From 23 countries — ICSR’s most well-attended conference to date
North America, Europe, Asia, Oceania, South America. Van der Schatte Olivier et al. 2020, Frontiers in Marine Science.
What Leaders Are Saying
"ISRS is the community that gets the work done. Restoration needs input from a wide diversity of backgrounds and ICSR is where the people who want to work together to actually restore shellfish habitats meet. There is real excitement in building that momentum."
Boze Hancock, Ph.D.
Senior Marine Restoration Scientist, The Nature Conservancy Global Oceans Team
"The ICSR is the single best place to exchange information on shellfish restoration. The global community created by ISRS drives innovation and advances the science of restoring shellfish systems that result in safe food and cleaner water at a global scale."
Dr. Mark Risse
Director, UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant
Leadership
Dorothy L. Leonard
Board Chair, ISRS
Ocean Equities, LLC
Internationally recognized shellfish aquaculture and restoration expert with 20 years at the National Ocean Service and National Marine Fisheries Service. Former Maryland Director of Fisheries where she developed the Oyster Restoration Program for Chesapeake Bay. Co-author of "Best Management Practices for Shellfish Restoration" and chair of ICSR for 28 years.
Aaron Kornbluth
Interim Executive Director, ISRS
akorn environmental
Environmental consultant and technologist specializing in marine conservation data systems. Provides strategic and operational support for ISRS programs and manages the organization's digital infrastructure and communications.
Betsy Peabody
ICSR 2026 Planning Committee Chair
Puget Sound Restoration Fund
Founder and Executive Director of the Puget Sound Restoration Fund (PSRF), which hosts ICSR 2026. Leads PSRF's work restoring native Olympia oysters, pinto abalone, bull kelp, and other marine species across Puget Sound, in collaboration with Tribal Nations, state and federal agencies, and the shellfish industry.
Julieta Martinelli, Ph.D.
ICSR 2026 Program Co-Chair
Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife
Olympia Oyster Restoration Lead & Intertidal Science at Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife. Affiliated with the Native Olympia Oyster Collaborative (NOOC). Co-leads the scientific program for ICSR 2026.
Peter Kingsley-Smith, Ph.D.
ICSR 2026 Program Co-Chair
Independent researcher; formerly South Carolina DNR
Shellfish ecologist and aquatic invasive species expert with decades of experience in oyster restoration research and management. Co-leads the ICSR 2026 program alongside Dr. Martinelli.
Media Contact
For press inquiries, interview requests, or additional information, please contact:
We aim to respond to all media inquiries within 24-48 hours.