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It serves as the research home for the Virginia Coast Reserve Long-Term Ecological Research Program. A new $2.5 million laboratory and housing facility was dedicated in on August 26, 2006. [1] The Center is located within the Virginia Coast Reserve, a biosphere reserve operated by the Nature Conservancy.
Oyster shell reefs are another option when creating living shorelines. Oysters are critical in enhancing water quality and providing habitat to fish species, so creation of oyster reefs to decrease shoreline erosion rates have many added benefits. [ 6 ]
The company's oyster farms are located in the Yeocomico River, Potomac River, James River, Rappahannock River, and York River. [9] [16] In 2002, the company also helped to restore an oyster reef in the river. [17] The company also operates a seafood cannery and packing facility and is a research partner with the State of Virginia.
Ward Oyster Company is a cage oyster farm headquartered in Gloucester County, Virginia, and one of the largest cage oyster farms on the U.S. East Coast. [ 1 ] [ 2 ] Established in 1986, the company sells 4 million oysters and tens of millions of larvae each year.
Oyster reef restoration projects often place the sanitized shells of dead oysters, concrete, or limestone pieces on a soft bottom to encourage oyster spat settlement. [10] Restoration of intertidal eastern oyster reefs can match natural densities of oysters and mud crabs , and recover oyster stability in about 6 years. [ 18 ]
Additionally oyster beds provide cohabitation for mussels, barnacles, sea anemones and more. It has become a huge concern that the population of oyster reefs have been decreasing at a rapid rate. Many species are losing their habitat, animals are undergoing a decrease in food consumption and the ocean is experiencing less filtration.
ORP plants the native oyster, Crassostrea virginica, back into the Chesapeake Bay. [12] [13] [14] In 2022, the organization helped to plant over 950,000,000 oysters. [15]The organization also works to provide educational opportunities to shellfish farmers on best practices for managing their oyster farms and leases.
Billion Oyster Project is a New York City-based nonprofit organization with the goal of engaging one million people in the effort to restore one billion oysters to New York Harbor by 2035. Because oysters are filter feeders , they serve as a natural water filter, with a number of beneficial effects for the ecosystem. [ 1 ]