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DEP Oyster Research and Restoration
Project
Head of Bay, Jamaica Bay
Fall 2018 Update
David T. Lin, Ph.D.
Ecological Project Manager and Marine Ecologist
Office of Ecosystem Services, Green Infrastructure and Research
Jamaica Bay Task Force Meeting
November 1, 2018

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Jamaica Bay Oyster Restoration Project

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Why Oysters?
Ecosystem services
 Coastal storm protection
 Erosion control
 Water quality improvement
 Habitat generation

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Background
 DEP is committed to researching innovative coastal restoration practices in New York
City’s waters
 Building on DEP’s oyster pilot study in 2010 at Gerritsen Creek and Dubos Point,
Jamaica Bay
 DEP received a $1 million grant from the US Dept. of Interior/NFWF Hurricane Sandy
Coastal Resiliency Grant Program and contributed $375,000 for an oyster recruitment
study in Jamaica Bay

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DEP Oyster Project Locations
Oysters
Early Oyster Projects
Oyster Project Scale-
up under DOI Grant

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Project Goals
Evaluate the factors affecting native oyster growth, survival and reproduction
in Jamaica Bay
Assess ecosystem services from oyster restoration:
• water quality benefits
• habitat use
Understanding oyster recruitment in Jamaica Bay is key to the ultimate goal of
establishing a self-sustaining population

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Approach

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Approach

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Larval “Donor” System
• Donor “nursery” releasing oyster larvae into water column
• 650-foot-long string of floating cages
• Stocked with 35,200 adult oysters in Sept 2016 + 9,300 adult oysters added in Nov
2017
• Current adult population estimated at 29,000 adult oysters
• To date there has been minor damage from winter storms
• For greater stability all lines connecting cages upgraded to heavier gauge

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Donor System Installation: Sept 2016

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“Receiver” Reef Beds
0.33
M
47 CY Clam Shell62 CY Porcelain
110 CY Clam
Shell
47 CY Clam Shell
Reef # 1A Reef # 1B
50 M
25 CY Oyster Shell
110 CY Clam Shell 84 CY Clam Shell
Reef # 2A Reef # 2B
0.33
M
25 CY Oyster Shell
110 CY Clam Shell
84 CY Clam Shell
Reef # 3A Reef # 3B
62 CY Porcelain
110 CY Clam Shell
47 CY Clam Shell
Reef # 4A Reef # 4B
0.33
M
0.33
M
 Four constructed mounds
of clam shell, oyster shell
and recycled porcelain
 Each 50 m x 10 m x <1 m
 About 0.5 acres (0.2
hectares) in total area
 Preliminary diver surveys
in early July 2017 showed
that the receiver reef beds
remained intact over the
winter season and had
very low macroalgal cover
 Final diver surveys
conducted in Sept 2018
 Verified and monitored by
multibeam bathymetry

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Receiver Reef Bed Installation: Oct 2016

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Receiver Reef Bed Installation: Oct 2016

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Donor System Maintenance
• Maintenance and Monitoring: approximately 3 visits per month
• Inspecting for signs of damage or tampering
• Repairs as needed; typically draining pontoon floats and redistributing oyster
bags to new trays
• Replaced original line with heavier gauge in July 2017

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Donor System Monitoring
• Monthly monitoring: mortality, growth, and gonad development or “ripeness”
• Biannual monitoring: oyster condition index and sex ratios @ Stony Brook
University Marine Animal Disease Laboratory
• Annual monitoring: oyster disease testing @ Stony Brook University Marine
Animal Disease Laboratory

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Donor System Monitoring
• Rapid growth observed
• Size: mean shell height 128 mm
• Mortality: 14.25% among adult oysters to date (Sept 2016 to Oct 2018)
• Oyster diseases: common local oyster disease Dermo detected at 10-20%
prevalence, but at low infection severity

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Oyster Spat Monitoring
• ”Spat” = newly-settled oyster larvae
• 20 total spat collector stations throughout eastern Jamaica Bay
• Monitored monthly
• No oyster spat detected to date

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Oyster Spat Monitoring
Jingle shell (Anomia simplex)
Atlantic oyster drill
(Urosalpinx cinerea)

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Plankton Tow Surveys
• Density and distribution of oyster larvae near Head of Bay project site
• Completed in summer 2018; awaiting results

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Reefs as Functional Habitat
• Diver surveys
• Benthic trays
o Oyster spat
o Investigate habitat use of constructed oyster reefs by marine fish and
invertebrates
o Plastic trays filled with cultch (clam shell, oyster shell or porcelain) and placed on
top of corresponding material on receiver reef
o Installed August 2017 + diver inspection October 2017
o Retrieval completed September 2018; pending analysis and reporting

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Thank You