![]() ![]() “Perhaps the flow pattern changed because of a hurricane or erosion. So, when an area that once produced oysters no longer does, something is wrong.īannon said the challenge is to figure out the reason for the low levels of dissolved oxygen. Most of the creatures can leave the area, but oysters can’t. In the bottom layer, the oxygen can become too low to support creatures like flounders, oysters, shrimp, and crabs. Fish and other critters depend on dissolved oxygen in the water to survive. The scientist explains that low dissolved oxygen is often the culprit. So, when an area is no longer able to hold oysters, it is indicative of a longer-term problem and it’s imperative to figure out why the oysters have died off and there’s no regeneration.” They can also survive up to three weeks out of the water. “The adults can close up and remain closed for a very long time. ![]() “Oysters are resilient creatures,” he said. Bannon explained that when researchers find an area that used to hold oysters but no longer does, they work to figure out why a die-off occurred. Oysters also act as a meter for the water quality and health of the ocean ecosystem. In areas where there is a problem, they help to clean polluted water.” “They filter and improve the water quality and are a food source for a number of marine creatures. “They hold a foundational function in the Gulf’s ecosystem,” Bannon said. This creates a healthier oyster bed.”īannon explains that a healthy oyster population is essential to a healthy Gulf ecosystem because oysters are the “foundational critter” in our waterways. Those remaining oysters and substrate provide a lot of surface area for the spat (oysters larvae) to catch onto and grow. If oyster catchers work the bottom with tongs and move and disrupt the oysters, it brings fresh shells and rocks to the surface. When they leave and move on to the next session, the bottom is turned and the shell is exposed, which is good for the next generation of oysters. “We move the harvesters to the next location and then the next to maximize harvest ability. “We open harvest and close 500 square meter grids once the yield is met,” he said. Scott Bannon, director of Animal Marine Resources with Alabama’s Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Alabama’s wild oyster population is in fair condition and improving. ![]()
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