Innovation
in trendy restaurants. A s a new generation discovers the delight of fresh raw oysters, they increase the demand and drive up prices for the oyster catch in general. Wild oysters continue to be prized for making oyster stew, oyster fritters, and other oyster dishes. Oyster farms provide other benefits, too. Some farmed oysters release eggs and sperm into the water, helping to repopulate nearby wild oyster beds. And everyone agrees that every oyster alive and breathing in the Chesapeake Bay, whether wild or cultivated, contributes to cleaner water, benefitting all marine life ~ and the humans who make their living from it.
OK, so oyster aquaculture is a good thing. But how is it actually done? It turns out that oyster farming is like land farming in several basic ways. You get some seed, plant it, cultivate the little guys, thin them out to allow room for growth, then harvest and sell your crop. There is another similarity. Like land agriculture, oyster farming is never a sure thing. The farm can be damaged by weather disasters or the crop wiped out by disease. And, as it is on land, rainfall is critical to oyster health and growth. Oysters are very sensitive to changes in the salt content, so if too much or too little freshwater enters the Bay, growth is much affected by these changes in salinity. Sediment is another danger. Deluge rainfalls or dam openings can bring tons of soil downstream into the Bay. And when an oyster bed is covered by sediment, the oysters simply suffocate. Still, there is money to be made by growing oysters, and more folks are getting into the game. Unlike wild oysters, farmed oysters may be sold year round. The market is strong; start-up costs are significant but not overwhelming; loans at favorable rates are becoming available; various government agencies and universities can provide assistance. Any start-up carries risk, of course. But if the oyster farm is well placed and there is a shore facility nearby, even two hard-working people can get a modest oyster farm started.
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