Virginia Coastal Program: 2000 Coastal Grant Project Description and Final Summary
Project Task:
FY2000 Task 7
Grantee:
Virginia Marine Resources Commission
Project Title:
Virginia Oyster Heritage Program
Project Description as Proposed:
In Year 2 of the
Oyster Heritage Program, we intend to continue and build upon the
Year 1 successes. Additional funding sources will be investigated.
All reconstructed reefs and harvest areas will be monitored for
spatset and oyster survival in November and December. Based on the
survey results, the information gained from the construction activity
in Year 1, and the availability of funds, at least 120 acres of
harvest area will be located, surveyed, and cleaned by watermen.
Additionally at least two more reef sites will be located and permitted.
We believe shell prices will remain relatively stable, with reef
(approximately 100,000 bushels) costing $100,000 and each acre of
harvest area costing $5,000 to $10,000. Reefs and harvest areas
will be constructed in late spring and summer of 2001.
On the Eastern Shore of Virginia, reefs will be constructed from
shells that are harvested from local fossil shell deposits. This
is a much smaller scale operation because of the shallow water of
these activities, with reefs averaging 1,000 to 4,000 bushels of
shells each. Results to date have been very encouraging. Eelgrass
will be planted in association with oyster reef construction efforts
as we attempt to reestablish both habitat types.
The Virginia Oyster Heritage Program, a large, multi-partnered initiative
to restore oyster populations, and ecological function, was initiated
in 1999. This program involves construction of 3-dimensional oyster
broodstock sanctuary reefs, placement of 2-dimensional cultch surrounding
the reefs to provide enhanced harvest areas for watermen, monitoring
of oyster populations and water quality, and public education efforts.
Phase 1 of the program anticipates the construction of at least
eight, one-acre three dimensional sanctuary reefs and at least 205
acres of enhanced harvestable area in the Rappahannock River, along
with continuation of oyster reef construction in association with
seagrass planting on Virginia's Eastern Shore.
Federal Funding:
$500,000
Project Contact:
Jim Wesson, 757-247-2121; Laura McKay, 804.698.4323
Project Status:
Grant Closed
Final Product Received:
Final Report
Project Summary Provided by Grantee:
The
Virginia Oyster Heritage Program was a bold initiative to move forward
and accelerate oyster restoration efforts in Virginia's Coastal
Zone. A partnership base was created to implement an oyster restoration
strategy involving the construction and restoration of 3-dimensional
oyster broodstock, sanctuary areas intermixed with the more conventional
2-dimensional restoration of large areas of historically productive
oyster beds. This Program served as a catalyst for a Baywide commitment
for a 10-fold increase in oyster populations over the next 10 years,
and helped galvanize a Baywide strategy to meet this commitment.
There was a significant new commitment of federal, State, and private
funds for the Virginia Oyster Heritage Program and for Baywide oyster
restoration efforts using a similar model.
Phase I of this effort was in the lower Rappahannock River. Year
I oyster restoration efforts in the lower Rappahannock River were
extremely successful. Six, one-acre, 3-dimensional broodstock sanctuary
reefs were constructed from shell. More than 99 acres of 2-dimensional
harvest areas were also restored. In total more than one million
bushels of cultch was placed on restoration sites in this area.
Year II oyster restoration efforts were even more successful. Three
more sanctuary reefs were completed. Within these 3 new reefs, tests
are being conducted to evaluate both ground, recycled concrete,
and recycled local shells as reef construction materials. Shell
availability for future oyster restoration efforts will be one of
the greatest challenges in the near future, and the partnership
base of he Oyster Heritage Program has facilitated progress in addressing
this issue. Initial results have shown that both the ground concrete
and recycled shell have performed similarly to fresh shells. All
nine sanctuary reefs in the lower Rappahannock River have received
excellent spatsets in 2001, and have significant populations of
oysters. More than 200 acres of 2-dimensional harvest areas were
also restored in Year II, which gives a total of 305 acres for Phase
One. All of these areas also received a very good spatset in 2001.
Virginia received a permit to mine fossil shells in the James River
in 2001, and this activity provided most of the shells for the harvest
areas.
Significant progress also has continued in rebuilding oyster reefs
in the Coastal Bays of Virginia's Eastern Shore. Ten acres of oyster
reef habitat were restored in 2001 in that area. Even more progress
was made in developing techniques for large-scale seagrass restoration
in 2001, with more than 4 million eelgrass seeds being planted on
more than 25 acres in South and Cobb Bays.
In total, Phase I of the Oyster Heritage Program has resulted in
more than $3 million for oyster restoration funding for the lower
Rappahannock during the 2 years of the project. This has facilitated
the largest, targeted restoration effort that has ever been undertaken
in the Chesapeake Bay. The Oyster Heritage Program has to date far
exceeded all of its initial goals and objectives, and continues
to move forward to Phase Two of this effort in 2002. The Virginia
Oyster Heritage Program continues to serve as a model for the other
environmental restoration efforts, and has spawned many similar
oyster restoration projects throughout Chesapeake Bay.
Disclaimer: This project summary provides the federal dollars initially awarded to the grantee. Due to underexpenditure or reprogramming of grant funds, this figure may change. For more information on the allocation of coastal grant funds, please contact Laura McKay, Virginia Coastal Program Manager, at 804.698.4323 or email: Laura.McKay@deq.virginia.gov
A more detailed Scope of Work for this project is available. Please direct your request for a copy to Virginia.Witmer@deq.virginia.gov
