Center for Environment & Society

Oyster Workshop

CES held a workshop to demonstrate the building of Taylor Floats.

Chester River Oyster Program

A range of oyster rehabilitation projects are underway in the upper Chesapeake Bay- from raising seed oysters (spat) in dockside floats to building and hauling shell bags, growing submerged aquatic vegetation, planting oysters, and monitoring sanctuary reefs.

At Washington College, CES is working to promote oyster restoration efforts along the Chester River, and we can provide spat and materials for oyster cages to a small number of volunteer waterfront property owners. Growing healthy oysters takes a commitment and some hard work, but it is well worth the effort. A program coordinator, Mark Wiest, is available to help determine the suitability of your property. If you think your property might be a viable growth site, here are a few of the primary factors to consider:

Salinity

On the Chester River, salinity levels will be the main limiting factor for oyster survival. Oysters grow and reproduce quicker in higher salinity waters, but are also more susceptible to disease. The Chester’s relatively low salinity waters will still support oysters but will lower mortality due to disease. Sites below Browns Creek (just south of Southeast Creek on the Kent County side) typically have the salinity levels needed for survival. (See map.)

Water Depth

The Taylor floats that will hold the oysters need at least one foot of water at low tide, but two feet of water would be preferable. Oysters can be exposed to warm air in the summer for a number of hours and survive, but even short periods of exposure to freezing air temperatures can kill the oysters, so it is essential to keep the oysters in the water. In addition, the oysters cannot feed when out of the water, and therefore cannot grow.

Ease of Securing Floats

The Taylor floats must be secured and protected from banging into other objects, otherwise the PVC can crack and the float will sink. A great place for the floats is underneath a dock. The pilings allow for a number of places to tie the float off, and the protection from the sun limits fouling from algal growth. Tying the float off to a mooring is another means of securing the float, but you must be able to routinely access the float in all seasons by boat or by wading.

Maintenance & Monitoring

Oyster growth and survival will be increased with regular cleanings of the oysters. Taking the float out of the water and scrubbing or power washing the oysters every 2-3 weeks during the summer, and every month during the winter, will limit competition from other species (like barnacles) and increase water flow across the oysters, which increases the available food supply.

In addition to cleaning the oysters, we ask you to monitor certain things like growth and mortality rates. Observations on things like other species living with the oysters are also welcome and will contribute to our goal of improving the benthic health of the Chester River. The data that you collect will be essential to determining successful sites for future restoration efforts. In addition, the data will help other researchers around the Chesapeake, as it will be added to a Bay-wide database on oyster restoration efforts.

Program Timeline

APRIL - Oyster Restoration workshop; site testing; Taylor Float construction
MAY - Pick up your oysters at the Custom House & launch your floats
END OF MAY - Visit to Horn Point Lab
JUNE THRU OCTOBER - Maintenance season due to high algal growth
NOVEMBER THRU MARCH - Oysters are going dormant due to falling water temperatures. Be mindful of low winter tides and ice on your lines
APRIL - Oysters are feeding more; make sure floats and oysters are clean to allow for more plankton to pass thru the float
NEXT SUMMER - You have provided ideal growing conditions for your oysters. Now they’ll be returned to an established oyster bar in the Chester River. Pass the float on to your neighbor or assume another batch of spat to grow through the next season. Thank you!

Contact mwiest2@washcoll.edu or 410-778-7295 for more information.

300 Washington Avenue, Chestertown, Maryland 21620 | 410-778-2800 | 800-422-1782