The Oyster Restoration Efforts In The St. Martin River

The oyster restoration efforts in the St. Martin River, led by the Coastal Bays Program and the Protectors of the St. Martin River, are making a significant impact on improving water quality and promoting ecological health. Since they were first implemented, these projects - oyster gardening in particular—have gathered momentum. An important factor in keeping the oyster cages off the docks at Ocean Pines clean and help filter the water are all the amazing volunteers.

Because they function as natural filters—one mature oyster may filter up to 50 gallons of water every day—oysters are essential to the health of the coastal bays. People like Joe and Gail Jankowski were leading the charge to restore oyster populations in the St. Martin River, and these efforts started about 2014. More locals have joined the initiative since then in order to raise oysters in their waterways, marking a significant surge in its popularity. Volunteers contributed about 2,500 oysters to regional reef projects in 2021.

Working along with environmental experts, the initiative grows oysters in cages for around a year before relocating them to reefs. In addition to aiding in water filtration, these reefs sustain biodiversity by giving other marine animals a place to live. Additionally, oyster reefs act as living shorelines to prevent erosion and storm surges from disrupting the coastal ecosystem.

In addition to campaigning for cleaner water and increasing community awareness, the Protectors of the St. Martin River are instrumental in the program's expansion. They promote environmental care and educate the community about the value of oyster gardening through activities like Bay Day.

This neighborhood-based initiative is a fantastic illustration of how small, local efforts can make a big difference for the environment over time by assisting in the restoration of one of Maryland's worst-impacted rivers.

For more information about The Coastal Bay Program click on the link below.

mdcoastalbays

Here's a past video we did on the Oyster farming... Can you tell we love this!