Animal Sciences Commons^™

Early Spat On Shell Setting, Rufus H. Ruark

Reports

Setting for spat on shell typically beings when water temperatures reach about 20° C. This optimal temperature is normally reached in Virginia's climate by May. Setting spat on shell is completed by September; this gives the spat just enough time to grow before the cold of winter puts them in hibernation. Hatcheries start spawning oysters as early as February. By heating the water and adding food they can successfully produce millions of larvae during the cold winter months. When the ambient water temperature rises it brings more food but in many cases poor water conditions. Unfortunately, in the heat of …

Stake In The Bay, Michael J. Gadwell

Reports

The Stake in the bay project was instituted to make it possible for people of all ages and agility to become involved in the oyster replenishment and restoration. This was accomplished by my wife and I utilizing over a dozen different recipes and types of stakes and slurri.es to encourage spat attachment using triploid larvae set in our onshore setting tank which is also utilized for setting spat on shell.

Feasibility Of A Recirculating Aquaculture System For Early Larval Culture Of Crassostrea Virginica, Michael Congrove

Reports

Oyster aquaculture in Virginia is a rapidly developing industry with greater than 75 million oysters planted in 2010, this compared to just 6 million in 2005 (Murray and Hudson 2011). Necessary to support this rapid development, among other things, is a large and consistent supply of larval and seed oysters, from which oyster growers start their crops. Providing this product to the aquaculture industry are hatcheries.

Hatcheries represent the tip of the pyramid in oyster aquaculture. Only a few hatcheries with a handful of workers support a much larger industry of many growout operations collectively employing hundreds of workers. Hatcheries …