Rotary Club of Eureka, California

April 11, 2011
Meeting of the Rotary Club of Eureka

Jesse Clair led the flag salute and Tom McMurray offered a prayer, giving thanks for our many freedoms and all those who uphold them.

Visiting Rotarians

None.

Guests of Rotarians

Nick Bertell was a guest of Stacy Lane.  Michael Kraft was a guest of Gregg Foster, Thomas Mulder a guest of Joe Mark, Ron and Kat Combs were guests of Dave Kuta, and Eric Bergel’s guest was Brian Gerving.

Announcements

Greg Pierson said that the information from the Fireside talks will be very helpful when his regime begins and if we haven’t participated already he would like us to sign up by contacting him or his father Hank. 

 




Pat Folkins thanked Scott Guild for serving as our NCAA auctioneer and President Carlton for buying many losers. Winners will be announced and paid next week. 

Bob Palmrose celebrated his 80th Birthday today....Happy Birthday, Bob!

Gregg Gardiner talked about the honor flight program for WWII Vets.  Gregg, Keith Crossley and Steve Justus are putting together a fund to assist those whom Tom Brokaw called “Our greatest generation.” These funds will allow vets to visit the WWII Memorial, which was recently completed in Washington, D.C.  About a thousand WWII vets are dying every day, so time is of the essence.  Seventy applications have been received from our area so far; 150-170 applications are expected. Some more funds could be used for this project.

Mike Martin recently returned from a gold digging adventure, having found some rare and precious coins.  He was given a bright and shiny disc from President Carlton for $60. Thanks Mike.   




Jim Howard made a donation of $100 which this author believes goes to the vets.

President Carlton, sporting a hat from the Rotary Club in Siberia, encouraged those who no longer look like their picture to get a new one. 

Delicious oysters were passed around while we were all getting and receiving fines, softening us up for the coming presentation on those tasty shellfish.

Program

Greg Dale is General Manager of Coast Seafoods Company. He addressed the club on the tools and trials of his trade. Dale claims the oyster industry actually brings money into the county as opposed to pot that circulates it within the county. Oysters are environmentally friendly and sustainable, having been used as a food for thousands of years. Native Americans farmed them early. The indigenous Olympia oysters that were native to our area were pretty much wiped out by San Francisco’s appetite for the tasty (and expensive) things. Oysters have been raised in Humboldt Bay since about 1910.  More success came after 1950 when the Eastern oysters replaced the native oysters.  In the 1950’s Japanese oysters came across the Pacific; these oyster “seeds” were propagated in Humboldt Bay around 1955.  Roger Smith built oyster racks in the 1960’s and within a year they all fell over because they were eaten by worms.  Later versions of the rack were pressure treated.

Amazing BBQ'd oysters enjoyed by all during Greg's presentation.

In the 1990’s the oysters were switched from bottom culture to long-line culture because keeping them off the bottom allows a better harvest. Most of the oyster sales from Humboldt are within the US, but they are also shipped to Singapore, Japan and Korea.

The French eat a lot more oysters than Americans and have a better love life according to Greg.  There are currently forty-nine employees working in oyster beds in Greg’s business and Greg said nothing about their love lives.

In order to grow, Greg says his industry needs continued good water quality and a stable regulatory environment--neither are easy to come by. But, Greg is still excited about the potential to expand the oyster business in Humboldt by allowing bids for expanded oyster
beds.

According to Greg shellfish improve the estuary health by serving as the proverbial canary in the coal mine. Our city and county have spent a lot of time improving the quality of water in Humboldt Bay so that oysters can be grown.   Dale closed by thanking the city and county for placing a high priority on keeping our bay clean and healthy and thus a good area to grow oysters.

Respectfully Submitted,

Dan Price