The Eastern Oyster

Last week I was given the opportunity to aid Delaware State University graduate student, Brian Reckenbiel, with one of the hottest environmental topics in the Delaware Inland Bays community right now, oyster gardening.

Crassostrea virginica or the Eastern Oyster is a native shellfish of the Inland Bays of Delaware. They’re of particular interest right now because they have good environmental and economical implications. This bivalve will assist in stopping Eutrophication by consuming phytoplankton (therefore improving dissolved oxygen for other species), and it could provide another income source to fisheries.

Our task that day was to thin out mature oysters from the Taylor Floats of citizen oyster gardeners in the Fenwick Island area. A Taylor Float is a sort-of floating basket full of shell that promotes growth (because oysters need a hard substrate). Thinning the floats allows the gardeners to maintain the oysters easier and creates more room for the younger oysters (spat) to grow. While moving the oysters I found crabs, baitfish, sea sponges, anemones, and even a terrapin!The oysters we collected will eventually be placed on structures around the Inland Bays to help mitigate marine pollution.

That day we also visited a study site in Bethany Beach to help quantify oyster growth in the Indian River Bay by measuring shell length, height, and thickness. This was important because it will help determine where oyster aquaculture is feasible. Overall a great day's work!

Spat on shell (bottom); Juvenille oyster (top)

If you would like to get involved/have questions about the Oyster Gardening Program you can contact:

EJ Chalabala
Delaware Center for the Inland Bays
39375 Inlet Road
Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971
Phone: (302) 226-8105
Fax: (302) 226-8109
Email: wildlife@inlandbays.org