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Post by daves236 on Feb 20, 2019 18:49:44 GMT -5
I have been working for the past 3 years, on a small scale with using oyster shells, collected from a local restaurant to create habitat, and foster oyster growth. The shells are aged for 12 months, then the “clean” shell can be used for new substrate.
Given my fairly small production, I have focused on contained deployments.
My early experiments were with wire “ logs” , formed from 2 2’ wide pieces of coated wire, ie hex crab pot wire. I found logs around 40” long, were about 100lbs dry, as big as I could manually handle , an set.
Heres some early deployments in eastern shore of Virginia.
Oysters have colonized these logs, and they have proven to be excellent as wave breaks, but the volume of shell to exposed area, leaves room for improvement, again with my limited supply of shell.
so, looks like I’m out of room, will continue, I do have point, dock habitat for sale.
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Post by finatic on Feb 20, 2019 19:00:25 GMT -5
That's very cool, the logs are loaded with oysters. How long have these been in the water ?
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Post by daves236 on Feb 20, 2019 19:18:28 GMT -5
My idea as of last winter is to take my sterile shell, support between 2 layers of wire, an hang under docks, between the paired pilings. The hanging aspect address one of what seems to be our local biggest issue with natural oyster recruiting, the spat settle in the intertidal zone, but during a strong cold blast for our area the northwest wind results in much lower than normal tides, the exposed oysters freeze , die. These can be hung in intertidal zone during 1 warm season, lowered by supporting rope to stay under water during winter.
I only have 1 season on my walls. By end of summer were being heavily used by feeding crabs, grass shrimp, an I’m sure colonized by various filter feeders.
Anyway, at this point I am looking for couple more sites, in Chesapeake, Delmarva area, with docks, interested in oyster an other marine organisms. All the offshore reef programs have been remarkably successful at growing attached organism an attracting mobile ones. I believe these shell walls, can do the same, right under our docks, and inprove local water quality at same time.
Realise this isn’t exactly Sailfish related, but hopefully will be of interest to some members, feel free to pm me if inclined.
Final pic is of older shell basket red sponge taking over.
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Post by daves236 on Feb 20, 2019 19:28:38 GMT -5
The first pics had 2 growing seasons when I took those pics last spring, theses in Onancock VA. Much more natural spat there than other pics from southern Delaware.
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Post by fishnfool on Feb 20, 2019 19:29:20 GMT -5
That's cool.
We cultivate oysters at our dock in pens, when the babies get big enough the pens are picked up and t he oysters are placed at designated oyster beds here in the bay.
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Post by daves236 on Feb 20, 2019 20:40:57 GMT -5
That is a good program, it got me started , by showing that our waters are capable of growing oysters. But from a local habitat standpoint very limited in benefits .
All the seeding program are limited in that someone has the responsibility of providing original started oysters, an therefore responsibility for the potential adults, and their edibility or potential contamination. All these programs do what you describe, moving juvenile to approved area, so no one could eat, get sick, litigate,,,
My idea is to only install habitat, any oysters are naturally set, no human responsibility.
By allowing to reach maturity at your dock, you should see the benefits of high amounts of filtration, the 40gal per day, often cited.
Plus there is whole ecosystem of other creatures that uses these types of habitat, all in one form or another, moving algae an nutrients up the food chain, In other words cleaning the water, to feed crabs fish, birds etc.
The variety an size of individual increase dramatically with age, compared to 1 season growth.
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Post by schlnrnd on Feb 24, 2019 9:23:21 GMT -5
Imagine the powerful impact if you could get all your neighbors to participate! Great job replenishing and nurturing your local waters. We've had many projects in the Indian River Lagoon to restore the oyster habitat. Even had local schools participate. Keep up the good work Daves236 and keep us updated.
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Post by daves236 on Feb 24, 2019 12:51:11 GMT -5
Right, and all 3 sites , I had one small install of 2 panels on Rehobeth Bay, have had big improvements in crabbing off docks, just during first season, most times I would look there were about 5 crabs feeding on each panel. Particularly in the more murky DE water.
Habitat is key, marine organisms respond quickly, an often in surprising numbers.
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Post by daves236 on Feb 24, 2019 13:00:08 GMT -5
Attachment DeletedHere’s my youngest son, on same dock, year before wall installation, but lots of shell baskets on site. Pretty certain they were attracting the white perch. 1 man limit after school, large number over 1lb citation size.
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