Who Killed Crassostrea virginica?

Coming Soon to DVD

The Chesapeake was once home to the richest oyster grounds in the world. The native oyster, Crassostrea virginica, built massive reefs and filtered vast reaches of the Bay, removing algae and sediment. Now those reefs are gone. The historic fishery is a mere shadow.

What happened? Who killed the Bay's native oysters?

This hour-long documentary sets out to answer that question. Produced, written, and directed by veteran filmmaker Michael W. Fincham, the film details both the poignant destruction of a fabled fishery and the prolonged scientific inquiry into the origins of a killer parasite.

The film asks whether we can bring the oyster back, and whether we can save both the oyster reefs and the oystermen. It peers toward a future where the Bay's historic oyster grounds may shrink to low-salinity areas where disease does not dominate.

The film premiered at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History, as part of the Spring 2009 Environmental Film Festival, and it will be released for broadcast in the Chesapeake region in September 2009.

The documentary will also be available on DVD. Submit the form below and we'll let you know when the DVD is available. We can also let you know the broadcast date, time, and channel.