How to grow oysters in the Chesapeake Bay Farms

• How to grow oyster farms Chesapeake Bay

Now is the peak season of oysters, which lasts from September to April.

Mankind eats these shellfish for over two thousand years. Once, in the days when oysters in abundance lived in the wild, they were considered poor dish, but uncontrolled fishing has led to the fact that their population has declined sharply, and in the second half of the 19th century, oysters become a delicacy.

Today, they are grown in different countries around the world on special farms. The richest regions are the Pacific oyster and the Atlantic coast. And because of this issue you will learn how these delicious shellfish are grown in the US state of Maryland.

Industry oyster breeding is rapidly gaining momentum in the state of Maryland. Bivalve diluted with 300 licenses issued in the territory in 1456 hectares in the Chesapeake Bay, both in water and on the bottom of the bay. Photo: Timothy Devine, owner of "Barren Island Oysters", which began to breed oysters in June 2013.

Selected oyster company Choptank Choptank washed in the river.

Oysters prefer sea water with low salt content, so found only in the intertidal zone near estuaries.

One of farmed oysters.

The first phase of oyster breeding - a young collection (spat) to collectors, offered for the oyster banks in the period of their reproduction. Initially used as collectors beams rods (fascines), but then began to use a curved trough plate tile covered special composition, with which it is easy to scrape off the precipitated them juveniles. Nowadays used plastic manifolds with flexible plates of different shapes.

Kevin MakKlarren, Managing Director Choptank, selling farm-raised oysters since 2005.

Collectors of sleep left in place for several months, and then a little fingerlings are transferred to the tightened frame grid, and today in bags of plastic or metal mesh called "poshami" (from the French poche -. Pocket), which are on the the bars at a height of 25-30 cm above the floor level or on wooden "table". This measure prevents the frame from entering the silt and from predators, especially from starfish.

Oysters "grow" on a raft on the Choptank River. His first oyster company Choptank sold in 2005.

Some farms parks for breeding shell protects from volnoboya cemented shaft and separated into pools series; inflow and outflow of water when the tide is regulated gateways.

Kevin MakKlarren cultivates oysters in an area of ​​1, 62 ha on the Choptank River via technology invented by them.

From left to right: Hector Meduena and Kevin Covey return the oysters in a cage before releasing it into the bay of Tar.

In such industrial parks oysters are grown for two years, after which they are transferred to nursery pools. Until the 1960s, these pools were added some salt and a culture of Chlorella algae, which in this medium multiplies rapidly and serves as food for oysters.

Timothy Devine pulls out one of his oysters from the tank.

Since not all trapped in the intestinal tract organisms digested shellfish nursery pool is kept optimum (not excessive) concentration of Chlorella cells. Nowadays supplements in the natural environment are not allowed.

Oysters in the grid of the raft in which they grow.

Hector Meduena and Kevin Covey take out the cage with oysters from the Bay of Tar.

Regan Gifford with buckets of oysters on the pier.

Hector Meduena and Kevin Covey return cell in Tar Bay.

People living on the shores of warm seas, extracted and used to eat oysters from time immemorial. They began to artificially grow them back in the period of the Roman Empire. Even the ancient Greeks and the Celts were grown oysters at home.

Manuel Garcia realizes a floating raft. After the growth step is completed, oysters sent Tar bay for further development.

Johnny Shockley, co-owner of Chesapeake Gold Oysters, steers the boat. His company oysters bred for commercial sale in the market.

A rule that you should eat oysters only in months with the letter "P" in their name, date around the same time when the widespread artificial breeding oysters. Now, months, when oysters produce spawn can be changed at the discretion of the manufacturer, and in addition, there are not producing eggs oysters. Although, there is another explanation for this rule - oysters on the collapse really quickly deteriorate in the summer.

Manuel Garcia with a handful of young oysters.

Oysters have, like most other animals, two sexes, can change it. This is several times can occur for the life of the oyster, under the influence of various factors. It's funny that usually oysters begin their life "men" and good fattening and being ready for procreation, are "women". Therefore even possible that the oyster fertilize their own eggs.

Manuel Garcia reveals adult oyster.

Taste oysters can be as versatile as that of wine, it depends on the region where she lived, and can be salty, sweet, mineral, or even like the taste of melon.

Ships of Chesapeake Gold Oysters in the work.

Recently, a team of American and Italian researchers scientifically proven that oysters contain rare amino acids that increase the content of sex hormones. The oyster meat contained protein, fat, carbohydrate glycogen, minerals (iron, zinc, copper, calcium, iodine, phosphorus), nicotinic acid, as well as vitamins B1, B2, B12 and PP. A total of 6 oysters - and the daily requirement for iron and copper provided!