The Chester River Association staff and volunteers spent the morning of Thursday, September 22 preparing over 150 cages of oyster spat on shell for the Marylanders Grow Oysters program. The oysters will be cared for by volunteer oyster growers throughout the winter until we plant them on oyster sanctuaries in the Chester River.
Since 2012 CRA has planted over 200,000 oysters in the river. These oysters improve water quality and create vital habitat for fish and crabs. With spat and cages provided by the Oyster Recovery Partnership, CRA is able to work with volunteers in both Kent and Queen Anne’s counties to provide a hands-on experience for those interested in learning more about the Bay’s most important bivalves and improving local water quality.
Staff and volunteers from CRA, the Chesapeake Conservation Corps, the Chestertown Christian Academy, and the US Fish and Wildlife Service helped fill the cages at the two pick up locations. The cages this fall will yield around 40,000 spat for planting on sanctuaries in the spring.
If you want to participate in the Marylanders Grow Oysters program or simply want to learn more, visit the Chester River Association’s MGO page (https://www.chesterriverassociation.org/mgo) or email Emily Harris at [email protected].
The Chester River Association is a non-profit organization that works for a healthy Chester River for our communities and for future generations through science-based advocacy, restoration, and outreach.
Write a Letter to the Editor on this Article
We encourage readers to offer their point of view on this article by submitting the following form. Editing is sometimes necessary and is done at the discretion of the editorial staff.