Why do some environmental groups refuse to condemn the harmful practices of the shellfish industry?
A. Many NGO’s, or so called “non-profit environmental groups” accept money and large donations from the shellfish industry. Groups such as People for Puget Sound, Puget Soundkeepers Alliance, Surfrider, Futurewise, the Nature Conservancy and the Puget Sound Restoration Fund all regularly take money or free shellfish from the shellfish industry. Some groups, such as the Skagit Conservation Education Alliance, were started by the shellfish industry to promote shellfish interests. Others, like the Puget Sound Restoration Fund, operate essentially as a public relations tool of the shellfish industry.
