Oyster Aquaculture

Shellfish aquaculture — growing oysters, mussels, and clams for consumption — provides environmental and economic benefits to the Chesapeake Bay and is a fast-growing industry in Maryland. From 2013 to 2018, Maryland's shellfish aquaculture industry increased 24%, and it's still growing!

Aquaculture provides employment opportunities for Maryland’s coastal communities and supports a wide variety of economic sectors from wholesale trade to food service. It takes an average of two to three years for farmed oysters to reach market size. While they grow, they provide beneficial ecosystem services like water filtration, nutrient reduction, and habitat creation, plus have a low carbon footprint compared to other protein sources.

ORP and our partners offer assistance to shellfish leaseholders in producing, managing and promoting their oyster farms through a variety of programs.

FARM AQUACULTURE REPORTING AND MANAGEMENT APPLICATION

ORP, in collaboration with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (MD DNR), DreamCo Design, and industry partners, developed the Maryland Farm Aquaculture Reporting and Management (FARM) app. The FARM app streamlines operations, simplifies reporting and provides essential tools to support efficient farm management. Pilot meetings held in 2024-2025 helped ensure the app met the operational and reporting needs of Maryland shellfish leaseholders, and a pilot version is currently being tested. The app will be available for download in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store starting January 2026.