Shell Games: Rogues, Smugglers, and the Hunt for Nature's Bounty

by Craig Welch

Shell Games is a cops-and-robbers tale set in a double-crossing world where smugglers fight turf wars over some of the world's strangest marine creatures.

Puget Sound sits south of the border between the U.S. and Canada and is home to the magnificent geoduck (pronounced "gooey duck"), the world's largest burrowing clam. Comically proportioned but increasingly fashionable as seafood, the geoduck has been the subject of pranks, TV specials, and gourmet feasts. But this shellfish is so valuable it is also traded for millions of dollars on the black market— a world where outlaw scuba divers dodge cops while using souped-up boats, night-vision goggles, and weighted belts to pluck the succulent treasures from the sea floor. And the greatest dangers come from rival poachers who resort to arson and hit men to eliminate competition and stake their claim in the geoduck market.

Detective Ed Volz spent his life chasing elk-antler thieves, bobcat smugglers, and eagle talon poachers. Now he was determined to find the kingpin of the geoduck underworld. He and a team of federal agents set up illegal sales, secretly recorded conversations, and photographed hand-offs from the bushes. For years, they tracked a rogues' gallery of lawbreakers, who eventually led them to the biggest thief of all— a darkly charming con man who called himself the "GeoduckGotti" and who worked both sides of the law.

In Shell Games, veteran environmental journalist Craig Welch delves into the wilds of our nation's waters and forests in search of some of America's most unusual criminals and the cops who are on a mission to take them down. This thrilling examination of the international black market for wildlife is filled with butterfly thieves, bear slayers, and shark-trafficking pastors— all part of one of the largest illegal trades in the world.

Genres: Nonfiction, True Crime, Science, Animals, Environment, Nature, Crime

291 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2010

Reviews

[Alisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up this book at the encouragement of a friend and out of mild intrigue over the subject matter. I grew up in the Pacific Northwest and as kids my parents took us clamming and crabbing when we vacationed along Hood Canal and the Olympic Peninsula. We dug little steamer clams in Hood Canal, razor clams along the Pacific beach, and Dungeness crab in the Straight of Juan de Fuca. Like other types of fishing and hunting, digging clams requires a license. Wildlife agents are sometimes out and about and the last thing you want is to get busted for not having your license or getting more than your limit or harvesting the wrong size or at the wrong time of year - that could mean a hefty fine and your catch confiscated. And then what would we have for dinner? We always bought our license, took care to note where and when you could dig, harvest limits, recorded our catch, and reported it to the state at the end of the season. It's what you are supposed to do. We never went after geoduck but we sometimes bumped into people who had them, and they are sometimes displayed at the Pike Place Market so I've seen them up close. They are obscenely large, ugly, and a little mysterious. They are so big they look like they would be tough, and not taste that good. A rarity, apparently some people find them a delicacy.

So could an entire book about an oversized clam be that interesting? I have been getting into reading microhistories, and a quick read about local lore, why not. This book however turned into something completely unexpected, and after reading the first few pages I was hooked. More than a book about an ugly clam, this is a full fledged mystery about smugglers and wildlife poaching and the international commodities black market trade. I had no idea the ugly mollusk was subject of so much demand, or that there even was such a thing as geoduck poaching. Seriously? I'm always a little amazed at the plethora of sea life that lives in the Pacific Northwest waters, and I appreciate the culinary attraction of anything hauled out of these waters, but the geoduck - who knew? The author, an environmental and wildlife journalist for the Seattle Times, does a superb job of telling the story of the little known geoduck smuggling operation in Puget Sound and surrounding waters. This is much more than a story about cutting the middle man out of the food distribution market, but reads like a page-turning thriller. It's just that it's all true. Great story, thoroughly researched, lively story line. I found myself gasping out loud at some sections and not wanting to put this down. Start to finish I thoroughly enjoyed this book, fascinating story.

[Joan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would never have imagined the amount of money that could be made from illegal harvesting of clams in Puget Sound nor the resulting long term damage. The profit could be in the millions of dollars and the time necessary to restore the marine beds about four decades. Welch gives a good account of agents from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife as they completed undercover operations to catch those illegally harvesting Dungeness crab and goeducks.

While the action in this book took place nearly two decades ago, the tales told are relevant today. Welch gives several examples of illegal trade in animals that resulted in deadly sickness from viruses. Some of the shellfish were harvested illegally during algal blooms. Such blooms can poison the shellfish and cause harm to humans.

Illegal animal and plant trade is big business worldwide. Welch's book is a good account of agents capturing and seeing the conviction of one man who stole wealth from the bottom of Puget Sound and called himself “The Goeduck Gotti.”

[Stephen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Poaching is something that most people are familiar with, but more often than not most people associate it with hunting, where a single person kills an animal or two out of season, or he poaches a few endangered animals for some precious material or another. What people don't think about are massive poaching operations, that remove a huge population of animals from an ecosystem in one fell swoop with devastating consequences afterwards.

Shell Games focuses on illegal fishing in the Pacific Northwest, primarily in the Puget Sound of Washington state. It uses a case of illegal geoduck poaching to create a 'storyline' of a sort to move the book along, told from the perspective of detectives and informants alike, but it also speaks broadly about illegal fishing in general, covering instances of white sturgeon, dungeness crab, and leopard sharks.

While I wouldn't consider the book groundbreaking, it does a great job recounting the geoduck poaching and sting operations in the late 90's/early 2000's. Definitely recommend if you are interested in topic, or live in the Pacific Northwest. I'd also recommend The Lizard King by Bryan Christy along with it.

[AdultNonFiction Teton County Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

TCL Call#: 364.16 WELCH C
Rebecca - 5 stars
I found this true-crime adventure about smuggling bizarre-looking bivalves (clams) riveting. It's unbelievable the techniques poachers use to traffic wildlife and the lengths cops go to in order to catch them. The author wraps a meaty lesson about ecology inside a caper that kept me turning the pages.

[Fishface · Rating 4 out of 5]

True tales of the fish police!!! I was sorry to see this one end. It was really a page-turner, with some great stranger-than-fiction moments. Highly recommended if you are interested in natural resources, the odder corners of law enforcement, or the plight of the Geoduck.

[Cherie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to finish this, but I lost interest about a third of the way in.

[Kerry Cox · Rating 5 out of 5]

Came across this book while researching various forms of wildlife trafficking for my novel series (see Money Bear, by Kerry K. Cox) and was impressed not only by Welch's ability to tell a true-life tale with all the drama and suspense of crime fiction; but also by the meticulous research and journalistic adherence to hard, proven facts. Even the dialogue reflects either recorded conversations (during the course of legal investigations) or the specific recollections of the characters involved.

And to be sure, there is an eclectic, memorable batch of characters populated this book. A confidential informant who turned out to be the most prolific trafficker in the regions history--while he was also working with law enforcement against other poachers. A chain-smoking "fish cop" who does his best interrogative work while on a "smoke break" with witnesses and suspects. Wildlife officers so dedicated and determined they work 36-hour days, sleep in cars, hid in thorny thickets to observe and build cases against poachers.

Without ever becoming pedantic, Welch also brings to light the serious and lasting impact poachers like these had--and continue to have--on our fragile environment. It's enlightening, infuriating, and in my view, absolutely essential information, and hopefully helps raise public awareness of the ravages of wildlife poachers and traffickers.

[Elena Rodriguez · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you’re interested in the environment - especially the salt water world - or enjoy true crime stories, this book will fit either bill. It’s a true crime story that reads like a thriller, centered around the illegal harvesting of the “ugly” giant clam known as the geoduck. The players in this story are all fascinating, from the dedicated wildlife cops at state and federal level, to the criminals they chase. Tragic in some cases, with the rogue you want to like who turns out to be one of the worst offenders, who is a talented native artist who could have had an entirely different life - truly tragic. And the bigger tragedy is the environmental degradation shellfish poaching leaves behind. It is up there on a level with any other type of wildlife poaching you can think of - and probably beyond in terms of what it does to the environment as a whole. Author Craig Welch has written a fairly slim book, a fast-paced read, but you can tell it is based on hundreds of hours of research, interviews, and poring over written records and court papers. A monumental job that he has turned into a book that’s fun to read, except that it leaves one feeling a bit hopeless about human cruelty to the earth, including the magnificent ocean and our local Salish Sea.

[Adam Price · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent tale - incredibly well researched. Non-fiction that reads like a spy thriller, while leaving no doubt as to its veracity. Summary: A mixed group of federal and state officials work for years to bring down international geoducks smuggling rings.

You would like this books if you like: The Golden Spruce, Ponzi's Scheme, The Sea Runners?

[Karl · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a wonderful beach read. Especially interesting for residents of Puget Sound and anyone interested in learning more about what wildlife law enforcement officers are up to. Checking both those boxes, this spoke to me, though it’s a worthwhile read for anyone interested in learning more about the otherwise-invisible world of wildlife poaching.

[Tom Sells · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bad people

Bad people and a poor judicial system allow our resources to be plundered for now and the future. Hard working law enforcement professionals must work extra time to make a case and prove it to a judge. Our resources are for everyone to enjoy .

[Dave · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had never thought of there being such a thing as seafood crime but, of course, crime exists in all walks of life. It was interesting to learn of the magnitude of illegal harvesting of seafood in the Northwest. And what a process to catch the culprits!

[Margot Carpenter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Detailed description, thorough research and an important story. At times I was a little bogged down with too much detail.

[Georgia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic page-turner and look into an unusual criminal world. It should be made into a TV show.

[Erinp · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty interesting dive (pun intended) into a world I didn't know existed.

[Abe Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book because of my passion for wildlife and background in criminal investigations. For me, 5-star books are A+, 4-stars are A's, and 3-stars are B's. This was a very solid B.

[Peggy Price · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little talked about book topic. Smuggling of clams and geoducks in the Pacific northwest. Frustrating and maddening to read what they get away with. Why hasn’t this been turned into a TV series?

[Derek E. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some lulls in pacing but an interesting true story. Great read for those working or interested in biology and natural resource management.

[Henri Isaacson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible, intriguing, inspiring.

[Tommy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read in college, found it to be an engaging and enlightening look at what wildlife cops can deal with.

[MsBrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Years after hearing Welch speak about Shell Games on NPR, I finally picked it up. The author chronicles the anti-poaching teams of Washington State (and sometimes the Feds) as they work diligently to track down many of the worst and most notorious clam poachers of Puget Sound. I enjoyed the chase scenes, learning about the benefits/problems of utilizing informants, and finding out which type of evidence was most likely to put the thieves behind bars. It was fascinating to learn just what strategies the poachers used to evade capture. Also, of course, it's interesting to learn about the geoduck! (do NOT look up its picture online though). The reader may also make the broader connection about the effects of rising incomes in Asia and how that encourages widespread poaching here in America.

While the main topic - catching clam poachers - was interesting, the book was a bit disjointed. Chapters would start by introducing completely new characters - some described in more detail than others. The readers will find it confusing to keep track of the characters (i.e. 'Was that guy with the feds or the state? Which poacher was he again?'). This leads the reader to sometimes feel less invested in a character, not knowing if he (most were 'he') will appear again later in the book. A character index at the end of the book would have been much helpful. The plot seems to shift around a bit too, as the author works to tie together a number of disjointed occurrences.

Overall, though, I found Shell Games to be interesting and informative, if not exactly a page turner.

Note: This book was discussed at my local bookclub

[J.S. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Puget Sound in Washington state is a rich marine environment and attracts a lot of commercial fishing to the area. Restrictions meant to protect the animals from overfishing have instead created a situation where poaching runs rampant. One animal in particular, the geoduck (pronounced gooey duck), the largest non-symbiotic clam which can grow to over 10 pounds and live for over a century, is unfortunately also delicious and prized as a delicacy in Asia. Legal limits placed on fishing for these clams have resulted in large poaching networks on a par with organized crime.

Craig Welch tells the story of Fish & Game detectives who try to infiltrate these networks which use sophisticated equipment to illegally harvest huge numbers of shellfish, regardless of the possible ecological damage or danger to consumers from clams harvested from contaminated waters. Distribution channels stretch around the world. In the end they discover that their gold-mine informant, Doug Tobin, a charismatic and burly Native American fisherman, is the biggest poacher of all and has been using them all along to eliminate his competition.

While the book is somewhat interesting, I didn't find it particularly exciting. I hoped it would focus more on the biology, science, and nature (Amazon lists it as a "nature" book) than the criminal aspects of the story. In fact, I suspect those who enjoy the "true crime" genre will enjoy it most.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book exposes the seedy underbelly of the multi-million dollar shellfish poaching industry in the Pacific Northwest.

Think of all the things on the black market that bring in millions-drugs, guns, medicine, jewelry...geoducks. No kidding. Geoducks from the Pacific Northwest are being stolen and shipped to Asia at an alarming rate. And the poachers make millions. Welch explores a particular case in the mid-late 90s that broke open the illegal geoduck trade. Along the way we meet dedicated fish cops, fast-talking CIs, and dirty deals. If I didn't know what a geoduck was, I might think Welch was detailing a big drug case.

This book is written without pretty matter-of-factly. You don't have to be a marine biologist or a criminologist to understand what's going on. The web of poachers is complex but easy-to-follow. Welch also gives some of the history of Puget Sound to round out the research. I don't even like shellfish but I found this to be quite interesting. This is a huge problem that has serious effects on the ecosystem. And all so people overseas can scarf down one of the most obscene-looking creatures on the planet (do an image search for geoduck, you'll see what I mean).

I wish I could give this 3.5 stars. It's not quite a 4, but I think it deserves more than a 3.

[Galen Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fairly well-written story about an extensive investigation by state and federal wildlife officers into shellfish poaching in Puget Sound. There were definitely twists and turns in the investigation worthy of your typical cops'n'robbers tv show or spy story; I'll leave out too much of a plot summary as it would be a spoiler. The book seemed meticulously researched; as a fisheries scientist I found no errors in the science. My main quibble about the book would be that various asides, which supplemented the geoduck and crab poaching central story with stories of wildlife poaching around the country and world, did not blend seamlessly with the rest of the book. It felt like there was a bit too much jumping around. But a unique tale that read fairly well for non-fiction, reporting-type writing. And I would probably have given this book a fourth star if I hadn't already been familiar with a lot of the science in the book--I think it brought up a lot of topics many people would not be familiar with, and learning about those would probably make the book all the more unique.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book w/ the enthusiasm and expectation that I would experience heaps of respect for taking the initiative to pursue this book. That didn't happen......what did happen, is I learned so much about a clam that has had to overcome such vast disrespect. I really enjoyed that Craig Welch also used this book as a way to educate readers on other massive animal smuggling - from the species affected to the ways they are smuggled. I really liked this book and learned a great deal about a very sad affair that happens over and over and over again....and have to say I didn't see the real tragedy until the rug was pulled out from underneath me. To learn that the actual snitch ended up being the biggest problem - broke my heart! My biggest hope that people will embrace our clams with appreciation and above all else respect!

[DeLene Beeland · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shell Games, by Craig Welch, is hands-down one of the most interesting wildlife stories I’ve read in decades. (Admittedly, the subtitle, Rogues, Smugglers, and the Hunt for Nature’s Bounty, snookered me from the outset.) Welch is an environmental writer at the Seattle Times, and the book grew from stories he first reported for his newspaper about wildlife trafficking in the Puget Sound. The more he looked into it, the more convoluted the tales became. The result is Shell Games, a story of the shellfish industry in the Pacific Northwest, how it went horribly wrong, and the crazy, greedy characters that sped it on the path to illicit international markets. I posted a full review on my blog, here.

[Camelama · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent book that covers not only the tale of Law against Poachers, but also covers the natural sciences history of the Pacific Northwest. I had no idea so much of this was happening just off shore - or the labryinth of legalities surrounding aqua-hunting, and the history of how those laws came about. Another "can't put it down" read. My only quibble is with the many many flashbacks, flash forwards, interruptions of the story. The storylines could have been organized a bit better. It felt like they were trying to present all these strings of storyline, and then "see how they all weave together?!" but ... it needed a better foundation upon which the storylines could rest.

[Carolyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting account of a few cops who did what they could to stop smuggling of geoducks (large, edible, obscene-looking [google for pictures], reportedly delicious, burrowing clams, pronounced gooey-duck) and crab from Puget Sound. They caught a couple of the kingpins, who made millions trading in these supposedly-strictly-controlled shellfish. The thieves did considerable ecological damage, though no one can be sure how much. The story made me want to taste a geoduck.

[David Ward · Rating 3 out of 5]

Shell Games: Rogues, Smugglers, and the Hunt For Nature's Bounty by Craig Welch (William Morrow 2010)(364.162) is an interesting tale of the illegal trade of the "geoduck" clam (pronounced "gooey-duck") from the waters of the Pacific Northwest. Wholesale poaching has greatly reduced the clam stock; this book attempts to explain why. My rating: 6.5/10, finished 2/29/12.

[Christy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting when about the geoducks. But it seemed like one of those books that was really well researched, and he wanted to include every bit of research in the book, so we'd know about it. Why were there sections of butterflies? Leopard sharks? The story of the geoducks smugglers was interesting enough to carry the book and should have been all that was in it.