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Cooperative
Oyster Breeding Program
This
program brings the talents from the Virginia
Institute of Marine Science (VIMS), The
College of Marine Studies (CMS), Rutgers
University, Haskin Shellfish Research Laboratory (HSRL),
and the University
of Maryland together
to investigate selected strains of the eastern oyster Crassostrea virginica for
resistance to disease. By combining forces we have been successful in obtaining
significant funding from the Office
of Maryland Sea Grant and
others that have allowed a number of research studies to be conducted.
Efforts along this line remain a high priority as the need to produce superior
strains of oysters becomes more and more important to the Chesapeake Bay.
Oyster
Recovery Partnership
Begun
as a result of the Maryland Oyster Roundtable in 1992 the Oyster Recovery
Partnership (ORP) has played a major role in increasing production from
the Horn Point hatchery by providing manpower to make and move shellbags
and spat from hatchery setting systems. Working with largely volunteer
labor and utilizing local watermen ORP has made and moved over 70,000
shell bags during the past four years. These shellbags have been used
to produce over 90 million spat on shell that has been used in various
restoration projects. Data produced from these projects will play an
important role in the development of new more efficient guidelines for
oyster restoration in the region. Continued support and cooperation from
ORP will insure the success of increasing production of spat on shell
for a wide range of oyster rehabilitation projects in the future.
Chesapeake
Bay Foundation http://www.cbf.org
CBF
has a long history of environmental activism and educational programs
in the region. Working with CBF the Horn Point hatchery has begun to
assist CBF personnel with the production of spat on shell through their
oyster gardeners program. Combining efforts and expertise CBF and the
University of Maryland plan on a continued expansion of oyster projects
in the region aimed at oyster ecology and restoration.
Maryland
Department of Natural Resources
MDNR,
the agency responsible for the protection and enhancement of the state's
fishery resources, has a long history of cooperative efforts with the
University dealing with oyster hatcheries. MDNR operates two oyster culture
facilities, Deal Island and Piney Point, and in the past has funded projects
in the Horn Point hatchery. Cooperative projects have gone a long way
in understanding the problems and benefits of using hatcheries as tools
for oyster restoration.
Living
Classrooms http://www.livingclassrooms.org/
The
Living Classroom Foundation, located in the inner city of Baltimore,
has a cooperative program with the Horn Point hatchery to educate students
during their summer hands-on programs. Students and LCF educators visit
Horn Point for periods of one to three days during the summer and work
hand in hand with University personnel in the hatchery. Students learn
to spawn oysters, care for oyster larvae, set oysters, and maintain nursery.
Depending on timing they are also allowed to participate in oyster planting.
Students get a real world experience working in a research laboratory,
learn about oyster ecology, and get to go home feeling like they have
helped in some small way to put something back into the Chesapeake Bay.
Maryland
Oyster Alliance
The
MOA was formed in 1998 when the University, Oyster Recovery Partnership,
and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation joined forces to promote oyster restoration
activities in Maryland. Initial efforts have centered around educational
and oyster gardening activities. Alliance activities include a master oyster
gardeners program, an annual oyster forum that bring together scientists,
managers, and the public, and web-based activities that will provide interactive
data for use by scientists and students alike. http://www.mdsg.umd.edu/oysters/garden/
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