Secrets of the James - The Importance of Oysters

by Justin Doyle, JRA's Outreach Manager

“The bottom of the James River is one enormous oyster-bed,” wrote a New York Times reporter who sailed with an oystering schooner in 1880. “From its mouth for 20 miles up, it is nothing more or less than a natural oyster-bed. Go anywhere in it you may and push to the bottom a pair of oyster-tongs, bring them together, and lift them out of the water, and you will catch oysters.”

Native Eastern Oysters (Crassostrea virginica) were once prevalent in the James River and Chesapeake Bay. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Chesapeake Bay Office, oyster populations in the Chesapeake Bay today are less than 1% of their historical populations. The steep decline in population is attributed to poor water quality, disease (MSX and Dermo), and over-harvesting. Poor water quality stresses oysters making them more susceptible to disease.

Fortunately, oyster restoration efforts are underway throughout the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. Virginia recently launched the largest oyster replenishment effort in its history. Oyster shells mined beneath the James River near Jamestown are being used to create habitat in areas of the river where oysters have historically grown. According to Natural Resources Secretary, Doug Domenech, "Oysters in Virginia are about an $8 million business now, and in fact last year we harvested the most oysters since 1989.”

Not only are oysters economically important, they are ecologically important to water quality. Oysters are filter feeders, which means they filter their food from the water as they feed. It is believed historical populations were able to filter the entire Chesapeake Bay in a week! It takes the current population about a year to filter the entire bay.

SLURP! Have you ever tried a flight of raw oysters? If you haven’t and you like oysters, you should. The flavor of an oyster varies depending on where it is harvested. Oysters harvested from Virginia rivers like the James and Rappahannock are less salty than oysters harvested from Chincoteague Bay, located on Virginia’s Eastern Shore. On a recent visit to Richmond’s Rappahannock restaurant, an outpost of Rappahannock River Oyster Co., I compared the flavor of an oyster raised in the Rappahannock River to one raised in the Chincoteague Bay. After slurping each oyster down my gullet, their unique flavor profiles became evident. The Rappahannock had a mild almost buttery flavor compared to the Olde Salt from Chincoteague Bay, which was briny. I highly recommend the experience!

Sources:

“Oysters of the James” New York Times article from the May 16, 1880: http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9800E4D7173FEE3ABC4E52DFB366838B699FDE

“Oyster Shells on the Move” Public News Service article from the July 9, 2013: http://www.publicnewsservice.org/index.php?%2Fcontent%2Farticle%2F33377-1

Oyster Restoration – National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Chesapeake Bay Office:

http://chesapeakebay.noaa.gov/oysters/oyster-restoration

Oyster Reefs - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Chesapeake Bay Office

http://chesapeakebay.noaa.gov/oysters/oyster-reefs