Oyster Gardening
Enhance water quality and provide critical marine habitat - right from your own dock!
Oyster gardening is the non-commercial aquaculture of oysters. It’s a fun and rewarding hobby that allows waterfront homeowners in Virginia to grow oysters for local restoration and/or personal consumption. Virginia is one, if not the only, state in the U.S. that permits oyster gardens. Oyster gardeners may only legally harvest their oysters in areas that are approved by the Virginia Department of Health. Oyster gardens in condemned areas may only be grown for restoration purposes.
The most critical thing oyster gardeners can do to protect public health and to continue Virginia’s oyster gardening legacy is to be compliant with state regulations. MAP staff support oyster gardening efforts by providing science-based information and education to Virginia’s oyster gardeners. The following resources will help you navigate best practices for a successful oyster garden.
Step 1: Plan Your Garden
Use available resources to determine if your area is suitable for a garden (depth, salinity, etc.) and what type of gear will work best for you and your site. Be sure the area occupied by gear doesn't exceed 160 square feet, which is the allowable space for a garden.
Step 2: Check Approved Harvest Areas
You'll need this information to complete Step 3. It's important for oyster gardeners to be aware of the growing area classification of their garden to know whether or not they can harvest and eat their oysters safely. The Virginia Department of Health, Division of Shellfish Safety (DSS) monitors the water quality of all areas where shellfish are growing to ensure that harvesting only occurs from very clean water. Due to the risk of serious illness, the water quality criteria for shellfish harvesting are 14 times more strict than for swimming, crabbing, and fishing. Here's what you need to know:
Step 3: Apply For a FREE Permit
You have a plan, you know your growing area classification - now it's time to apply for a permit. It's simple, FREE, and all oyster gardening locations are legally required to have one. Applications are submitted to the Virginia Marine Resources Commission. This permit must be renewed every 5 years.
- VMRC Oyster Gardening No-Cost Permit - check out the FAQ page for instructions.
- Visit VMRC Shellfish Aquaculture, Farming and Gardening for more information about the rules for oyster gardeners.
Other Resources:
- VIMS Marine Advisory Program Oyster Gardening Resource Guide (PDF)
- Best Management Practices for handling & consuming gardened oysters
- Choosing Seed For the Garden
- Best Practices for a Healthy Oyster Garden
- Tidewater Oyster Gardeners Association (TOGA) is a wealth of knowledge on gear choices, spat sellers, etc. Be sure to check out their events calendar for float sales and educational opportunities.
- Captain Tom’s Oyster Floats another great place to get information and purchase gear and seed.
- Chesapeake Bay Foundation Oyster Gardening Program this program will provides gear and seed which you will grow and give back to be planted at a restoration site.