Virginia Coastal Program: 2004 Coastal Grant Project Description and Final Summary
Project Task:
FY2004 Task 11.06
Grantee:
Virginia Marine Resources Commission
Project Title:
Seaside Oyster Reef Construction
Project Description as Proposed:
Oyster reefs will
be constructed in association with eelgrass restoration projects.
Reef restoration and eelgrass planting efforts have been very encouraging
for the past 5 years, especially, in the Cobb Island and South Bay
areas of Northampton County. For FY 2005 reefs will be constructed
further north in the Hog Island to Wachapreague area.
Reefs will be constructed from shells that have been harvested from
local fossil shell deposits or from conch shells from shucking houses.
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 2005.
Federal Funding:
$50,000
Project Contact:
James Wesson, 757.247.2121; James.Wesson@mrc.virginia.gov
Project Status:
Project Completed
Final Product Received:
Project Summary Provided by Grantee:
Oyster reefs were constructed in Accomack County, south of the Town of Wachapreague during late April and May 2005. Conch shells were hauled by truck to Wachapreague, loaded on barges, and deployed in two areas. Shells costs for reef construction were $1.717 per bushel. A reef approximately 1.9 acres in size was constructed with 25,400 bushels of conch shells in Bradford Bay. The reef was constructed in Public Ground #32 at approximately Lat-Long, 37°34’37”, 75°40’23”. A second reef approximately 1.0 acre in size was constructed at Green Channel in Public Ground #38. This reef was constructed with 9,200 bushels of conch shells at approximately 37°33’25”, 75°39’20”. Both reef locations are along the edge of the shoreline and were constructed to be intertidal. The total costs for constructing these two reefs was $59,442.54, with $50,000.00 in CRM funds and $9,442.54 in State funds.
In early fall the reefs were surveyed for colonization. There was an excellent spatset in 2005 on these reefs. On the Bradford Bay site, spatset was approximately 3,716 oysters/meter. On the Green Channel Reef, spatset was 7,888 spat/meter. This quantity of spatset is extremely large and likely will not be maintained over time. Natural mortality will reduce these numbers over time; otherwise growth will be severely restricted. These sites will be monitored for the next few years, but currently these reefs look exceptional.
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
