You’ve likely heard of fostering cats and dogs. But did you know Galveston Bay area residents can also foster oysters? The delicious treat is vital to the health of the Bay. One oyster can filter 50 gallons of water a day, so the more oysters, the cleaner the water.
Each year, Galveston Bay Foundation (GBF) invites bayfront property owners to become oyster foster parents, giving baby oysters a “head-start” through the Volunteer Oyster Gardening program. The oyster program was recently recognized as a 2019 Conservation Wrangler by Texan by Nature, a Texas-based conservation non-profit founded by former First Lady Laura Bush. The organization’s Conservation Wrangler program recognizes innovative and transformative conservation projects across the state of Texas.
As part of the program, oyster gardeners (aka oyster foster parents) work with GBF staff every spring to hang recycled shell from docks and piers into the bay. Gardens are made up of either bagged shell, caged shell, or shell strings, and are used to attract new oyster larvae during spawning season. Volunteers monitor and care for the oyster gardens throughout the summer to ensure successful growth of baby oysters (known as spat).
On Saturday, the oyster gardeners and GBF staff held a spat collection “party.” Volunteers collected the oyster gardens and spread the shells and spat on nearby restoration reefs to enhance the local oyster populations.
The garden collections took place in Tiki Island, followed by transplanting the new oysters on one of the new oyster reefs at Sweetwater Preserve.
How does It Work?
Galveston Bay Foundation partners with Bayfront property owners to give baby oysters a “head-start” through the Volunteer Oyster Gardening program. Oyster gardeners (aka oyster foster parents) work with GBF staff every spring to create small mesh bags full of recycled oyster shells. These bags, or oyster gardens, are suspended from piers and docks and submerged in the bay, in hopes of attracting new oyster larvae during the spawning season. Volunteers monitor and care for the oyster gardens throughout the summer to ensure successful growth of the baby oysters (aka spat). In the fall, GBF staff collect all of the oyster gardens and spread the shells and spat on nearby restoration reefs to enhance the local oyster populations.
Do you…
- Own or have access to property on Galveston Bay, West Bay, or Trinity Bay?
- Own or have access to an accessible pier or dock that extends into the Bay?
- Have the ability to commit 1-2 hours per week to monitor and maintain oyster gardens?
- Have the ability to lift 10 pounds?
(each oyster garden weighs approximately 5 lbs. but may become heavier the longer it is in the water)
If you answered YES to all of the above and want more information about oyster gardening before committing to becoming a Volunteer Oyster Gardener, please visithttps://galvbay.org/volunteer-oyster-gardening/ and fill out the information request form. Once your form is submitted online, you will be contacted directly by the GBF Oyster Team staff.
GBF will provide:
Recycled oyster shells
Material to create oyster gardens
Rope to hang oyster gardens from your pier or dock
You provide:
A bayfront location with a pier or dock suitable for hanging oyster gardens
A commitment of regular monitoring and maintenance of the oyster gardensYou can learn more about protecting our oyster population at: https://ccatexas.org/protection-for-public-oyster-reefs/
