Hatchery-based oyster restoration in Maryland: Using science to solvereal world problems

摘要

The use of hatcheries for production of commercial scale oyster production is well established in many parts of the world. In the Pacific Northwest, hatchery use revitalized a seed-starved fishery and led to the development of "remote setting." For a variety of reasons, other regions of the country have not utilized this technology for large-scale production. One notable exception is the cooperative program that has developed at the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Horn Point Laboratory near Cambridge. Using techniques adapted from the Pacific Northwest, production of spat on shell has increased each year with over 160 million being produced in 2003. These spat are used to restore oyster bars in most of the oyster producing tributaries of Maryland's Chesapeake Bay. Hatchery spat are used to produce healthy oyster populations for ecologic and economic benefit and as tools for a major outreach program. Working with a dedicated coalition of partners from a wide range of interests, University personnel are changing the attitudes and practices of traditional oyster restoration in the state.