Case Study · HUL'Q'UMI'NUM NATIONS Mobile App
Can U Dig It Safe Shellfish Harvesting
Mobile App Development for Pacific and Atlantic Regions
Intertidal clams and oysters are an important traditional food source for the six Hul’q’umi’num member Nations who are members of the Q’ul-lhanumutsun Aquatic Resources Society (QARS). As filter feeders, shellfish can accumulate marine biotoxins, bacteria, and viruses in their tissues — making harvest location critical to community health and safety. But the information available to harvesters about where it is safe to dig has long been difficult to find and hard to interpret.
Trailmark worked with QARS to develop Can U Dig It, a free mobile app that puts shellfish safety information directly in harvesters’ hands. The app displays current harvest closures and openings on an interactive map, clearly showing where it is safe to harvest and for which species — in both Pacific and Atlantic regions. Designed to be intuitive for use in the field, Can U Dig It translates regulatory data into something harvesters can actually use at the water’s edge.Can U Dig It is free to download and free to use.