Underwater Science: Oyster Restoration at Harris Creek

In Chesapeake Bay, the oyster fishery opens on October 1. To celebrate the kickoff of the 2019 oyster season, the biologists of the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center in Maryland are revealing some underwater footage comparing restored sanctuary oyster reefs to harvested oyster reefs. This 2.5-minute video shows oyster reefs in two creeks-Harris Creek and Broad Creek, in the Choptank River on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. Harris Creek has been an oyster sanctuary since 2010, and now has hundreds of acres of restored oyster reefs. Just next to it, Broad Creek has remained open for harvesting and has relatively flat oyster reefs. The key difference is in the seascape. The oyster sanctuary at Harris Creek has more vertical oyster reefs, which enable it to support a higher density of oysters that can filter the water and provide other benefits, like habitat for fish. Check out the video to see how the two creeks compare!
Video Editing: Liana Quiñones
Music: "Special Day 3" by Lincoln Grounds and Richard Rayner

[@brennangregorygmail]

The music is great!

[@zippershorts]

Save the Chesapeake bay!

[@FlyTyer1948]

More oyster reef restoration please.

[@sustainablejeff]

what were the restoration techniques? Is there a paper or brochure about this?

[@leaderofthepack8928]

Save the Chesapeake bay!