
RICHMOND — Chesapeake Bay has added more than six billion oysters since 2017 through the Chesapeake Oyster Alliance.
And last year, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation grew more than 100,000 oysters to be placed in the bay.
But oyster populations were not always on the upward trend. Overharvesting, pollution, and disease caused massive declines in oyster populations.
Today, only 3% of historic native oyster populations in the bay remain.
Jessica Lutzow, Virginia oyster restoration specialist with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, says the mollusks are considered the “popular kid.”
Oysters in Chesapeake Bay are a keystone species, providing many benefits to the bay environment.
“They filter up to 50 gallons of water a day,” said Lutzow. “We’re talking about a three- to four-inch oyster filtering that much water a day. You have this little, resilient creature that’s doing so much for it all at once.”
Oysters are also consequential in preserving coastlines. When oyster reefs form, they serve as natural buffers against coastal erosion and storm surges.
Oyster reefs disperse wave energy to protect coasts from the full force of severe storms. To grow oysters, a volunteer suspends a wire cage full of baby oysters — also called spats — from a dock or marina.
The only upkeep required is keeping the cage clean to provide enough waterflow to the oysters. Lutzow said she’s encouraged by these oyster milestones.
“It’s such a positive outcome,” said Lutzow, “and I see it progressing in the future as people really start to fully understand how important these creatures are, and how important the other animals and plants that are on the reefs are as well. The oysters can help create that habitat to keep those animals thriving as well. ”
Conservationists are currently working to reach their goal of adding 10 billion oysters to the bay by the end of the year.
The Chesapeake Bay Foundation expects they will grow nearly 200,000 oysters this year.