Rebuilding Public Oyster Grounds in 2024: A Record-Breaking Year for Maryland’s Commercial Fishery
In October, ORP and its dedicated watermen partners celebrated the successful completion of the annual Seed and Shell Program, a critical initiative supporting Maryland’s public oyster fishery. This program, coordinated with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (Maryland DNR), helps sustain healthy oyster populations by planting juvenile oysters (spat-on-shell), wild seed, and substrate onto public oyster bars across the state.
Wild seed oysters being offloaded off of harvest boats at the dock in Virginia.
2024 by the Numbers: Milestones for Public Oyster Replenishment
This year’s achievements were nothing short of remarkable. The team deployed:
- 462 million spat-on-shell (juvenile oysters attached to shells, ready to grow into harvestable bars)—the largest deployment in program history!
- 15,000+ bushels of wild oyster seed from Virginia, naturally occurring young oysters.
- 230,000+ bushels of recycled oyster shell, collected and reused to create habitat for new oysters.
- 260+ tons of crushed concrete, a first-time alternative substrate used to enhance oyster habitat.
These materials were distributed across public oyster bars in 20+ tributaries spanning 11 Maryland counties, helping to restore and enhance oyster habitats across the Chesapeake Bay.
Innovation in Restoration: Exploring Alternative Materials
2024 marked the first deployment of alternative materials in Maryland’s public oyster fishery, a collaborative effort by ORP and the Maryland DNR.
With oyster shell supplies dwindling and prices rising, Somerset County worked with Maryland DNR to explore substitutes. After obtaining permits in 2022, the county deployed 260+ tons of crushed concrete in Pocomoke Sound this year. This year also marked the first year for the deployment of Crassostrea gigas oyster shell (imported from the west coast). This shell was used for bottom enhancement and in the production of SOS, totaling over 100,000 bushels deployed in 8 tributaries across 6 counties.
Preliminary results from Maryland DNR’s fall survey and research by University of Maryland’s Center for Environmental Science (UMCES), indicate that spat set on these alternate materials is comparable to natural oyster shell, offering a promising, cost-effective alternative. Innovations like this pave the way for sustainable restoration while addressing the challenges of limited shell supplies.
The Ever Forward cargo ship out of Hong Kong that ran aground outside of the shipping channel, north of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge in March 2022. Picture credit: Prop Talk Magazine
Funding Public Oyster Restoration: A Win for Maryland’s Fishery
Maryland reinvests tax revenue from oyster harvest and license surcharges, along with funds from the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT), into replenishing public oyster reefs, ensuring the sustainability of the commercial fishery.
This year, ORP received additional support from Maryland DNR, including:
- Mitigation funds following the 2022 Ever Forward cargo ship grounding, enabling ORP to plant 46 million spat-on-shell in Anne Arundel County waters as part of a two-year contract.
- $1 million for targeted restoration in Eastern Bay, a region with historically abundant oyster populations. These funds enabled ORP to plant 235 million spat-on-shell, with additional investments planned for continued restoration in the coming years.
Teamwork Makes it Possible: A Collaborative Effort
The success of ORP’s annual replenishment of public harvest reefs reflects the dedication of a broad network of partners. Here’s what it took in 2024:
- 8 large vessels contracted to haul and deploy wild seed and substrate materials.
- 5 remote-set aquaculture companies producing and planting spat-on-shell.
- Partnerships with 5 vendors to secure wild seed, shell, and alternative materials including collaboration with the Virginia Marine Resources Commission for the export of wild seed.
- Collaboration with 5 hatcheries across the Chesapeake Bay to supply larvae for spat production.
- Ongoing support from Maryland DNR and the Maryland County Oyster Committees throughout the season.
ORP extends its deepest gratitude to all the watermen, vendors, and partners whose tireless efforts made this record-breaking year possible. Together, we’re strengthening Maryland’s public oyster fishery for generations to come.