Nursery / Pre-deployment
3N C. virginica Creek-based Nursery
Post-set 3N C. virginica animals were transported to Sarah’s Creek in the York River where they were held in a floating upweller system called a F.L.U.P.S.Y. The growth of the oysters was monitored, as they grew larger the animals were sieved on a ½ inch screen.
Red Tide events:8/11/03 was the first recorded red tide event in Sarah’s Creek. There was a minor amount of mortality associated with this event. Two additional red tides were reported which slowed the growth of the C. virginica.
Hurricane provisions:The day prior to Hurricane Isabel (9-17-03), the 3N C. virginica were pulled out of the F.L.U.P.S.Y. and placed in 3/8th inch ADPI bags approximately 8000 oysters/bag. They were re-deployed into Sarah’s Creek. They stayed in that density for a week until they were mixed and split out for industry trial deployment.
3N C. ariakensis Land-based Nursery
Post-set C. ariakensis animals were held in biosecure upweller tanks at VIMS’ Gloucester Point Hatchery until they were large enough to stay on a ¼ inch screen (approx. 10 millimeters). They were then transported to an Industry Partner, Cherrystone Aquafarms on the Eastern Shore of Virginia. Biosecure upweller systems held the oysters until deployment. The use of an Industry Partner was crucial and was due to the large number of 3N C. ariakensis needed for the VSC trials. VIMS’s Gloucester Point hatchery was not able to grow 1 million oysters to a deployable size efficiently. Cherrystone Aquafarms’ water system has a much greater flow rate which equals greater food abundance which in turn represents more growth. The non-natives must grow to 20 millimeters in size before they can be deployed.
Hurricane provisions:Before Hurricane Isabel, the 3N C. ariakensis in each upweller were put into onion bags, tied tightly and put back into the upweller. After 3 days, the oysters were released from the onion bags. Cherrystone Aquafarms had no damage to the upweller systems and there was no reported mortality and no escape of animals.
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