Originally published Monday, February 23, 2009 at 5:41 PM

Company sues state in shellfish lease controversy

Taylor Shellfish Co. is suing the Washington state Department of Natural Resources for not honoring a lease that would allow the company to harvest geoducks on certain public lands.

By The Associated Press

SHELTON, Mason County — Taylor Shellfish Co. is suing the state Department of Natural Resources for not honoring a lease that would allow the company to harvest geoducks on certain public lands.

The terms of the controversial lease were negotiated by outgoing state Lands Commissioner Doug Sutherland a day before he left office.

New Lands Commissioner Peter Goldmark did not sign the lease because he said the public was shut out of the process. His spokesman Aaron Toso said today the agency hadn't reviewed the lawsuit but looked forward to reaching a resolution.

The dispute involves state aquatic lands in Totten Inlet near Olympia.

Under the agreement negotiated with Sutherland, Taylor agreed to pay $630,000 in penalties for growing geoducks and clams on public lands without permission. In return, the company would get a five-year lease to harvest the shellfish it grew on those lands.

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