Oyster Gardening for Restoration & Education

In the Chesapeake Bay, the idea of raising oysters in cages or floats for restoring reefs or for personal consumption has been around at least since the 1990s. In 2008, the state of Maryland launched a Marylanders Grow Oysters program, and in Virginia programs like the Tidewater Oyster Growers Association provide materials and assistance to those interested in raising oysters. In Maryland, most of the oyster seed or “spat” has come from the Horn Point Hatchery at the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science.

To assist those interested in oyster gardening, Maryland Sea Grant Extension helped develop the Oyster Gardening Program in cooperation with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, and the Oyster Recovery Partnership. The program brings together experts and citizens to help enhance the Chesapeake Bay system’s stressed oyster populations. The program offers participants:

An opportunity to grow oysters, a key species in Chesapeake Bay
To learn about the complex ecology of the Bay system
To play a hands-on role in oyster restoration in Maryland

The Oyster Gardening Guide below will provide you with basic information on setting up and maintaining your oysters in the best manner given the environmental conditions for your location.

Oyster Gardening Guide

Getting Started

Oyster Seed

Deploying Oyster Seed

Placement & Security

Oyster Care

Oyster Ecology

Calendar

For More Information

Oyster Gardening Resources

Expertise and Information

Chesapeake Bay Foundation Oyster Gardening Workshops
Horn Point Hatchery (University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science)
Marylanders Grow Oysters
Virginia Oyster Gardening
Tidewater Oyster Growers Association
Maryland Sea Grant Aquaculture Specialist Jackie Takacs, takacs@mdsg.umd.edu

Organizations

Coastal Conservation Association of Maryland
South River Federation
Magothy River Association
Project Oyster West River (POWeR)
Severn River Association
Southern Maryland Oyster Cultivation Society
Choptank River Eastern Bay Conservancy

Seed Oysters (Including Triploids)

Horn Point Hatchery (University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science)
distributed through the Oyster Recovery Partnership

Seed Oysters & Supplies

Circle C Oyster Ranching Association
Johnny Oyster Seed Company
Choptank Oyster Company
Gordon’s Shellfish