by Larry S. Chowning
The Chesapeake Bay Foundation has planted “reef balls” laden with oyster larvae at the mouth of the Piankatank River.
On September 10, the Bay Foundation’s boat, “Chesapeake Golden,” arrived at Gwynn’s Island with 50 reef balls, with thousands of spat attached to each concrete ball.
The boat was bound for Palaces Bar on the Piankatank River, an oyster sanctuary off Cores Creek and Bland Point.
Reef balls look like half ovals with a rounded nose and holes in the side.
Tommy Leggett, manager of the Bay Foundation’s Virginia oyster replenishment program said the reef balls are set down in a tank filled with water and oyster larvae. The larvae attach to the reef balls, and then the balls are planted on the oyster grounds.
“I’m really impressed with the way it works,” said Leggett, “but I can’t come up with a way to measure the number of oysters on each ball.”
The reef balls are covered with flake-like larvae that look like “little blisters.”
The 50 spat-filled reef balls were harnessed one by one to a crane in the boat and gently lifted over the washboards and down into the water.
“This is the future right here,” said Leggett pointing to the reef balls. “We are finding more and better ways to grow oysters and it’s very important to the health of the Chesapeake Bay.
The Bay Foundation purchased the molds to make the reef balls from a company. “We can make 25 in two days,” said Leggett.
“Palaces Bar is a huge oyster bar and the Piankatank has a long reputation of being a good river to grow seed oysters,” he said.
Leggett said that over the years the Piankatank has had enormous problems with the oyster diseases MSX and Dermo, but lately it appears the oysters have developed some immunity to the diseases. “We are getting a one-for-one return of oysters in the Piankatank River because the oysters have become more disease resistant,” he said.
Bay Foundation officials are experimenting with this type of planting because, in part, there has been a shortage of oyster shells, which is a natural clutch used when growing oysters. Spat on shell is a highly-successful way of growing oysters.
“We used to get a lot of shells from the Gulf, but we most likely won’t be seeing those oysters this year,” said Leggett.
The foundation is asking that after oyster roasts, organizations give their oyster shells to the Bay Foundation. Jackie Shannon is in charge of the program and can be reached at 804-832-8804.
