spatastic

Measuring oyster spat with Kara!

Yesterday we went to the Great Bay, a beautiful estuary here in New Hampshire, and played with oysters (no we didn’t eat them)! We met with Kara and Ray who work to restore the oyster population in the Great Bay. The oysters, which serve as a major filter system for the bay, have been depleted to a staggering 5-10%. It was wonderful to see people with such a vibrant passion for what they do, and that energy made me curious as to why these oysters were so important (which they obviously are!!!) TNC raises baby oysters and collects shells and, instead of dumping them randomly into the bay, are placing the shells strategically. They place them where the oysters used to thrive, and then later track how well the baby oysters are doing, which is what we helped do. We were given little cages that held more than 200 oysters. We cleaned them (since they were covered in mud, arthropods, and sea squirts), counted them, and then, for thirty spat (baby oysters), measured its size from the hinge to the other end. It was quite fascinating, especially since most of the spat were doing well. In the end, I, as well as the other LEAF interns, enjoyed working with the oysters immensely. Not only did we share some really good laughs, I left the Great Bay informed and more educated about this ecosystem that is held together with vital species, and must be taken care of, before it reaches it’s tipping point, and I strongly believe and support that.

-Sharon Peter July 27, 2012