Oysters are arguably the most important creature in the Chesapeake Bay. They are filter feeders meaning they filter the water to grow. Over the course of a single day, one oyster can filter 50 gallons of water.

Oysters filter the bay by taking in pollutants like nitrogen and phosphorus, the things that make the water murky. By removing these from the water, oysters are creating cleaner, clearer water.

Aside from the obvious bonus of water filtration, oysters provide a perfect natural habitat. Oysters grow in clusters on reefs, which is basically just a pile of oysters on the bottom. These reefs provide a home and protected area for everything from coral to rockfish. Any angler can tell you that some of the best fishing spots are near known oyster reefs!

In 2008, DNR established the “Marylanders Grow Oysters” program. This program provides oysters to members of the community to keep under docks in cages over the winter. It allows community involvement and informs the public about the importance of oysters in our ecosystem. Involvement and education are crucial to creating a community that cares about the environmental well being of the Chesapeake.

The program also creates a protected environment in which oysters can grow. It’s not just people who find oysters to be a tasty snack. Crabs, fish, and bacteria also love an oyster snack. When spat (baby oysters) are protected in cages in shallow waters during this vulnerable development period, they are significantly more likely to survive.

The program continues to grow each year adding more oysters to our waterways. I have been oyster gardening since I was 6 and I currently tend to 45 Oyster cages on 4 different rivers and on 22 different docks.

<James Ronayne tending to oyster cages during a Blowout Tide in the winter of 2012.

PC: Morgan Dwyer