![]() But lone oysters in the silt cannot survive in such conditions. As their shell begins to grow, the oysters become too heavy to float and sink on the reefs or into the silt along the bottom of the bay.Ī healthy oyster reef has generations of oysters, younger on top of older generations, said Walsh. "They also served as a food source for crab, snails… and all these other organisms that make the bay their home."Įating local: Soak in the sun while dining outdoors at these Jersey Shore restaurantsīefore they plant on the reef, tiny oyster larvae float in the water column and consume phytoplankton, algae and organic detritus, Walsh said. "The reefs become great hiding spots for juvenile fin fish and other shellfish," said Bill Walsh, president of ReClam the Bay, an organization that works with Peters to restore shellfish habitat along the Jersey Shore. The oysters become a bedrock on which the other bay animals depend. "It gives me a lot of peace, just like gardening would." "I enjoy it," Peters said of the labor, which involves growing the larval oyster in containers and kayaking them out to reefs when they are ready to be placed. The reefs become a haven for blue crabs, menhaden, trout, mackerel, flounder and other important fish species, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Fisheries division. Oyster reefs provide critical habitat, food and protection for animals in Barnegat Bay and other mid-Atlantic bay ecosystems. The "garden" that Peters is helping to grow is more akin to a coral reef than a typical garden.
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