Virginia Oyster Month in Virginia is coming to a close, but the Chesapeake Bay Foundation is still asking restaurants and Virginians to help restore the native oyster population by recycling the popular seafood shells, according to a release from the foundation.
Oysters are a large part of Virginia’s economy, but the Chesapeake Bay oyster population is struggling, according to the foundation’s website. The Chesapeake Bay Foundation has taken action alongside scientists to try and restore this environment for the oysters.
The foundation needs volunteers in the Hampton Roads area to help collect empty oyster shells from restaurants which then become the foundations for new oyster reefs, the release said.
“Many people don’t realize that oyster shells are a precious resource that should go back in the water,” Heather North, an oyster restoration specialist, said. “By simply saving used shells, restaurants are helping rebuild oyster reefs that in turn support local seafood. Our network of restaurants and volunteers is a key part of boosting Virginia’s oyster population.”
Peninsula restaurants and fisheries are being asked to participate in this program to save the empty shells, the release said. Eating at the participating restaurants also ensures that shells will be used for restoration projects.
Since the seventeenth century, Virginia has been the home for large numbers of oysters in the bay, according to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation website.
Today, the oyster population is in serious disarray due to a variety of reasons, the main reason being over-harvesting, according to the website. Over-harvesting causes reefs to be scraped away, limiting the oyster beds to flat, thin layers and leaving less surface area for the oysters to inhabit.
Volunteers in the shell recycling program collect the shells every week and take them to drop-off locations. The shells are cleaned and cured, then the Chesapeake Bay Foundation places them in 800-gallon water tanks containing microscopic oyster larvae that attach themselves to empty shells, the release said.
The foundation then plants the oyster larvae on sanctuary oyster reefs, allowing oysters to grow, reproduce and form reefs, according to the release.
“If we can take a few hours each week to help save our natural resources, it’s worth it,” Susan Elder, a volunteer with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation said. “We want to help support the oyster population in the Bay. Sometimes the obstacles facing the health of our environment seem overwhelming, but this is a way for even one person to make a difference.”
The Chesapeake Bay Foundation is looking for volunteers of all ages as well as group efforts, the release said. Volunteers or restaurants interested in participating can contact North at HNorth@cbf.org.
