Last weekend, Volunteers turned out in force Saturday for the 4th annual Breton Bay Oyster Planting, meeting the ambitious goal of placing one million oysters into the Breton Bay Oyster Sanctuary.
Organizers said approximately 200 bushels of spat-on-shell — baby oysters attached to shells — were delivered to the sanctuary at Lover’s Point. Fifty-one people participated, including 25 first-year students from St. Mary’s College of Maryland who helped plant 126,400 baby oysters as part of the community effort.
“51 people were in attendance, the goal was met, and we were so happy with the turn out!” said Emma Green Ewing, executive director of the St. Mary’s River Watershed Association.
“One notable announcement was that we found evidence of oyster reproduction on the site again… we found one living spat. While it may not sound like much, reproduction in Breton Bay is crucial for successful restoration.”
Ewing said spat traps deployed off Lover’s Point were checked earlier this month, confirming natural reproduction in Breton Bay for the first time since 2023.
Community momentum.
“The number of people who have shown up year after year shows that the community wants investment in Breton Bay,” Ewing said. “They are willing to come out on a Saturday morning, get dirty, and work hard.”
Why oysters matter.
In the Chesapeake Bay, oysters filter water and build reef habitat that supports striped bass, blue crabs, and other species. Maryland has designated multiple tributaries — including Breton Bay — as oyster sanctuaries to protect populations and limit harvest.
History and progress.
Although state and federal partners once listed Breton Bay for formal restoration, that designation was revoked in 2018 because of low oyster numbers, poor water quality, and a lack of annual reproduction. Local groups pressed ahead anyway.
“Our Million Oyster Day brings in new volunteers who are learning for the first time about the amazing benefits of oyster reefs and discovering that there are ways they can help with their restoration,” said Liz Curtz of Friends of St. Clements Bay.
“Thanks to St. Mary’s County Recreation & Parks, visitors to Abell’s Wharf will now have a chance to learn about oyster restoration year-round,” Curtz added, noting a new interpretive sign installed this week and funded by the Chesapeake Bay Trust.
Ewing summed up the day simply: “What we’re doing here is working. We are restoring the oyster population.”
Get involved:
Contact Liz Curtz — Friends of St. Clements Bay: [email protected], Emma Green Ewing, St. Mary’s River Watershed Association: [email protected], or click here!
All photos are courtesy of the Friends of St. Clements Bay, and St. Mary’s River Watershed Association. Follow them and their updates here, and here!
