Virginia Oyster Gardening Guide

Short Description
the location you have chosen for your oyster garden … How to Start and Maintain an Oyster Garden. Step One: Evaluate the Site. Dissolved oxygen …

Website: www.deq.virginia.gov | Filesize: 263kb

Content
Will your site support growth?
The first two things you need to know are whether
the location you have chosen for your oyster garden
will actually support oyster growth, and whether you will
be able to eat the oysters grown at that site. An oyster
garden needs to be located where you have 4 basic
things:
?the correct range of water salinity
?a minimum water depth
?adequate amounts of oxygen to breathe
?adequate amounts of plankton to eat
Salinity
Oyster growth rates are dependent upon salinity.
Salinity is measured in grams of salt per liter of water, or
parts per thousand (ppt or ?). Oysters require a salinity
of at least 8 ppt to grow and oyster growth increases
with increased salinity. Below 10 ppt salinities, oyster
growth rates are generally reduced; some oysters show
intermediate growth rates at salinities between 10 - 20
ppt and highest growth rates at high salinities. This may
be a function of heritage and oyster seed may be bred
for selected salinity in the near future. You can test
your water salinity using a simple device known as a
hydrometer. Hydrometers may be found easily at pet
stores. The…