BARREIRO, W.*; LUXAMA, J.; SARINSKY, G.; CARROLL, M.A.; NDUKA, E.; CATAPANE, E.J.; Medgar Evers College, Brooklyn, NY; Medgar Evers College, Brooklyn, NY; Kingsborough Community College, Brooklyn, NY; Medgar Evers College, Brooklyn, NY; Medgar Evers College, Brooklyn, NY; Medgar Evers College, Brooklyn, NY; ; : Growth and Survival of the American Oyster Crassostrea virginica in Jamaica Bay, NY
Jamaica Bay (JB) was abundant with oysters until early 1900’s when they began to disappear. Our earlier work found oysters placed in Jamaica Bay at two sites (Kingsborough Marina and Gateway National Park Marina) grew well when suspended in protective containers 1 foot below the water surface. We found growth was influenced by placement near the sediment as compared to the surface. Oysters were placed in protective container 1 foot above the sediment or suspended 1 foot below the surface and growth determined by measuring shell lengths on the anterior-posterior axis (height) as well as on the transverse axis (width). After 1 year, bottom dwelling oysters were 23% and 12% larger at the Kingsborough and Gateway sites, respectively, as compared to the top oysters. Animal width showed similar increases. Survival was good at all sites. Water temperature, pH, turbidity, salinity, conductivity, chlorophyl-a and dissolved O2 were taken to monitor and compare water quality at both depths at each site. To study growth and survival in a more natural condition, oyster seed and adults were placed just off the bottom in unprotective containers and photographed. After 4 weeks they are growing and surviving well, but are being fouled by growth of sea squirts and algae. Thus far there are no serious signs of predation by crabs or starfish. The study continues to show that JB water quality is suitable for oyster growth under the various conditions of our experiments. The work was supported by grants 1R25GM62003 of NIGMS, 0516041071 of NYSDOE, the CUNY Groundworks Program, and 66273-0035 and 66288-0035 of PSC-CUNY. We thank Frank M. Flower & Sons, Inc., Oyster Bay, NY for supplying oysters.
