The week of August 5th through 11th is designated as National Oyster Week, the brainchild of nonprofit Oyster Recovery Partnership (ORP), one of the leading oyster restoration organizations in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. ORP expanded the idea of National Oyster Day—which is, actually, celebrated nationally on August 5th this year—into a week-long campaign that encourages seafood-lovers to visit their favorite local restaurants and enjoy special dishes and promotions featuring the famous, delicious bivalve.
The campaign aims to raise both awareness of the oyster’s critical role in the ecology of the Chesapeake Bay and the amount of physical oyster shells that are used in restoration efforts to create new reef habitat. Restaurants save the used shells, ORP collects them, and, along with many regional environmental organizations, the shells are “planted” with oyster spat (baby oysters) as substrate at targeted underwater sites throughout the Bay.
Maps of shellfish reefs—both historical and restored—and harvest closure areas, can be found at the Maryland Department of Natural Resources’ Fishing & Boating Services-Related Maps webpage.
The biology of oysters is intriguing, the history of their harvest is fascinating, and their contribution to the Bay’s health…nothing short of amazing. And as many anglers are aware, oyster reefs are prime fishing locations. The structure of a reef attracts aquatic life from across the food chain. Microrganisms, worms, prey fish, and predators live among the oysters.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and partners in the Chesapeake Bay Program have restored oyster reefs in eight of 10 Chesapeake tributaries selected for restoration work. Once those 10 tributaries are complete, they will include 2,334 acres of healthy reef. To date, about 7 billion oysters have been planted in these target rivers, and many additional reef projects (like those in the Severn and Magothy Rivers, for example)—the goal is 10 billion spat planted by 2025. The 10 tributaries are (listed north to south): Harris Creek, Tred Avon, Little Choptank, St. Mary’s, Manokin, Great Wicomico, Piankatank, Lower York, Lafayette, and Lynnhaven.
Enjoying National Oyster Week is easy, fun, and tasty! Just visit some of your favorite seafood restaurants and enjoy eating the oyster specials. Though typically considered a cold-water/cold-month delicacy, oysters thrive in Chesapeake waters all year. Although the harvesting of wild Chesapeake Bay oysters in Maryland waters is closed during the summer months (reopening October 1st), the business of local aquaculture has become the key to providing fresh, delicious oysters to local restaurants year-round. To supplement diners’ interest in the oyster, some restaurants will also procure special varieties from out of state, harvested from northern Atlantic and, even, Pacific waters.
The list of participating restaurants in the DMV area is extensive, so you should be able to find one close to home. Visit ORP’s National Oyster Week webpage for the ever-growing list of restaurants.
Bon appetit to a great cause!
