Virginia Coastal Program: 2002 Coastal Grant Project Description and Final Summary
Project Task:
FY2002 Task 12.04
Grantee:
Virginia Marine Resources Commission
Project Title:
Virginia Seaside Heritage Program: Oyster Reef Restoration, Enforcement and Education
Project Description as Proposed:
Oyster reefs will
be constructed in association with eelgrass restoration projects
(FY 2002 Task 12.03). Reef restoration and eelgrass planting efforts
have been very encouraging for the past 3 years, especially, in
the Cobb Island and South Bay areas of Northampton County. For FY
2002 reefs will be constructed further north in three areas: 1)
Swash Bay, west of Parramore Island; 2) Cedar Island Bay, west of
Cedar Island; and 3) Kegotank Bay, west of Assawoman Island. Reefs
will be constructed from shells that have been harvested from local
fossil shell deposits. Because of the shallow water of the Seaside
Bays, small shell harvesting and reef constructing equipment will
be used. Reefs average 1,000 to 4,000 bushels each, vary from 200
to 800 square feet of footprint, and are approximately 1 to 1 and
one half feet tall. Shell costs vary from $1.00 to $1.50 per bushel
to construct the reefs. At completion of this project, 12 to 25
new oyster reefs will have been constructed. All reef building activity
will occur between May and July. Reefs will be monitored for spatset
in the Fall of 2003. In addition the reef sites and eelgrass restoration
areas will be monitored to document any unauthorized activities
affecting the resources. This will include an assessment of any
additional monitoring needs.
Federal Funding:
$55,000
Project Contact:
Jim Wesson, 757/ 247-2121,jwesson@mrc.state.va.us
Project Status:
Grant Closed
Final Product Received:
Project Summary Provided by Grantee:
Oyster
reefs were constructed in two areas. Approximately one acre of reefs
was constructed in the Gull Marsh area of Northampton County on
Public Ground No. 13. Approximately 10 small reefs were constructed
with 25,000 bushels of shells that were harvested from nearby fossil
shell deposits. Shell costs for these reefs were $1.00 per bushel,
and the reefs were constructed in June and July 2003. These reefs
were adjacent to areas where eelgrass restoration was underway (Task
12.03). Reefs were also constructed on Public Ground 52 in Gargathy
Bay of Accomack County. Shucked conch shells were used for these
reefs at a cost of $2.05 per bushel. Approximately 5 small reefs
were constructed on one half acre of public ground. These reefs
were completed in July 2003.
All reefs were monitored for oyster stocks in October and November.
Spatset was good in the Gull Marsh area (548 spat/meter), and poor
in Gargothy Bay (12 spat/meter). Generally spatsets were poor on
Seaside in 2003.
An estimate of law enforcement activity on Seaside was completed.
For the period of April 1, 2003 to March 2004, approximately 225
hours of air patrols were completed by the VMRC plane. Additionally,
almost 12,000 hours of law enforcement patrol activity was directed
by land and water on the Eastern Shore during that time period.
In a complimentary project with the Nature Conservancy, we are using
local aquaculturists to raise bay scallops for restoration in coastal
bays. We have placed these scallops in cages within the reef and
eelgrass restoration areas in South Bay in hopes that they will
spawn and produce offspring to populate the restoration site. A
sample of the bay scallops, which we are using for restoration in
the coastal bays were analyzed for genetic markers by Dr. Amy Wilbur
of the University of North Carolina, Wilmington. The broodstock
scallops had been caught from remnant stocks in Chincoteague Bay.
Dr. Wilbur found a distinctive haplotype for these scallops that
we can use to evaluate our restoration efforts. The Chincoteague
scallop appeared genetically distinct from the more northern strains
of bay scallops (Massachusetts to New York) and the strain seen
in North Carolina. They were significantly different from all wild
populations that they have on file and this will be very helpful
in tracking the progress of scallop restoration in Virginia's coastal
bays, if we are successful in producing progeny on the restoration
areas.
Form C end
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
