Marylander's Grow Oysters

Type: Chesapeake
Region: Chesapeake Bay
Location: Eastern Shore

During his internship at DNR, David Brown worked throughout the State; from Western MD to the lower Eastern Shore. Some of his time was with the Marylanders Grow Oysters Program (MGO). His last day with DNR was such a day. He started at the University of Maryland hatchery loading 75 empty oyster cages full of spat. Approximately 114 bags of spat were removed from a large tank and opened, then the spat were emptied into the oyster cages. Next, the cages were taken to the Oxford Lab where they were hung from the lab pier to await transport to a nearby tributary. MGO growers in various tributaries are oyster care-takers for 9 months, at which time the oysters are removed from the cages and planted in a sanctuary. David then took the Oxford-Bellevue ferry across the Tred Avon, and went to Tilghman Island where he delivered empty oyster cages to the Phillips Wharf Environmental Center. The center uses the cages for the MGO Program at Tilghman. David saw the educational facility, live tanks, and met the Center staff. While at DNR, David was a big help in all his tasks and he saw a great deal of the State and her resources.