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The workshop was held to assist volunteers with setting up experimental oyster gardens in different locations around the Hudson-Raritan Estuary, consisting of about two dozen initial sites around the New York harbor and New Jersey shore locations. The gardens will be used to determine survivability and growth rates for oysters in the various locations.
One such location is the Sea Scout Base on the Rahway River at mile .72. This location was heavily industrialized until about 1980. It has special significance, as the baymen who oystered on Raritan Bay would bring their catch upriver on the Rahway River to wash out and "plump up" the bivalves on the fresh water.
Once upon a time oysters were plentiful in New York Harbor and were even considered the food of the poor, but by the war of 1812, because the harvesting industry over fished (they did not understand the life cycle of its resource) and neglected to return oyster shells to the beds, the New York Harbor major oyster beds were no longer self sustaining and had to be reseeded regularly with oysters imported from other places such as Chesapeake Bay and Long Island Sound. (In natural conditions, baby oysters only attach themselves to other oyster shells to mature. Without this base, the reef cannot reproduce successfully. Even when seeded (introducing juvenile oyster stock), the spare shells provide a shelf for the reef, diverting nutrient rich water flow, and encouraging the community to prosper. Additionally, it takes an oyster two years to reach a stage where it can spawn, which is about the time they are market-sized. Obviously, over harvesting reduces the breeding stock. These are conditions needed that we have learned the hard way, unfortunately.
Nevertheless local oysters remained a favorite seafood. Around 1900, per capita oyster consumption was over 600 per year per person. During the 1920's health concerns caused by pollution brought an end to local oystering. Since there was no longer an economic reason to reseed the oyster beds they were allowed to die out. Additionally, dredging of the shipping channels in the harbors buried many oyster reefs under tons of sediment; oysters are filter feeders and without a flow of water over their shells, they starve and die. Subsequently, only a few, scattered, small populations remain of what was once one of the most productive shellfish grounds in the world; plus the health of those oysters must be suspect.
The oyster gardens being prepared in this experimental project are not intended to produce a crop for human consumption. In spite of the regular improvement in the New York Harbor's water quality, it still isn't safe to eat oysters produced here. There are other important benefits expected from the re-introduction of oysters to the harbor. Each oyster filters as much as 25 gallons of water every day, removing sediment and algae, and contributes to the foundations of the marine food chain. Having oysters back in the harbor will encourage other marine life and help reestablish the natural food chain that once existed here.
The experimental oyster garden will be monitored by the Sea Scouts as part of their environmental training. All record keeping and measurement will be performed by the Scouts, with oversight by adult volunteers. The gardens make use of a Taylor Float constructed of PVC piping and coated wire mesh. Oysters are secured in filterable bags within the floats. Once a month, aquaculturist activity includes measuring and weighing sample lots of 50 bivalves per "garden" (bag), taking water temperatures, testing for salinity, recording weather statistics, tide cycle, water/run-off observations, checking float condition, recording visible changes and activity around the floats (like marine life, plant growth, oyster distress, or predators like sea squirts and drills). All this data is recorded on provided templates and sent to the Baykeepers, along with photographs and interesting news articles written about the project in local papers. (One Mate is also maintaining a database of the measurements along with copies of anything mailed to the Baykeepers. This data has been used for school science presentations by two of the Scouts in the crew.)
Since 2001, we have seen a return of fish to the sea base estuary area, like Killies and Stripper, along with Grass Shrimp, as well as Blue Claw and Brown crabs, white Heron, Wood Ducks, Swallows, and improved water conditions, resulting in lettuce seaweed and sea sponge. We also provided specimens to Rutgers University and NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) for pathology, histology and toxicology testing; with positive lab results.
In July 2001, 100 juvenile oysters were provided to the Baykeepers for seeding the new reef in Keyport Bay. In June 2002, 2500 adult and juvenile oysters were provided to seed the reef. In June 2003, Ship 243 expects to provide 500 juvenile oysters. At the same time, the Scouts will be given a crop of new baby oysters to grow and monitor. As part of the ongoing project, we are also maintaining small populations from each of the segregated gardens, which will provide long-term specimen data for the Baykeepers. In addition to growing oysters in the controlled floating gardens, we are also assisting with building two nursery reefs; one located at the Rumson Marina on the Navesink River, the other in water tanks at the MAST program (Marine Academy of Science and Technology) on Sandy Hook. We have experienced successful, natural reproduction among our own oyster gardens at the Sea Base on the Rahway River and this development encourages the Baykeepers that they will have similar success in their controlled scientific environments.
We are learning a lot from this experiment, both Sea Scouts and Baykeepers!
If you would like to be an oyster gardener, or assist with any of their other
ecological projects, please call Debbie Dalton at Baykeeper, 732-291-0176,
or via email dalton@nynjbaykeeper.org. They are headquartered at the
American Littoral Society NJ office on Sandy Hook, Building #18.
Baykeeper Website
Improving on nature is impossible. Restoring it is imperative.