2014 bop oyster gardening manual - new york edition

5/25/2018 2014 BOP Oyster Gardening Manual - New York Edition

OYSTER

GARDENINGMANUAL


ASSOCIATES

Mud Snails

< 1.18 in

Blue Mussels< 4 in

Slipper Shells1.5 in

Amphipod

0.03913 in

Mud Tube Worm

< 0.24 in

Golden Star Tunicate< 0.4 in

Sea Squirts/Tunicates0.41.2 in

Sponges< 0.25 in

Barnacles< 0.25 in

Ribbed Mussel3.95.11 in

Sand Worm< 2.36 in

Shore Shrimp

1.52 in

1

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3

4

5

6

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8


OYSTER

GARDENINGMANUAL


BILLION OYSTER PROJECTOYSTER GARDENING PROGRAMFOR SCHOOLS AND

CITIZEN SCIENTISTS

New York City Edition

OYSTER

GARDENINGMANUAL


Copyright 2014New York Harbor SchoolAll rights reserved

Published byNew York Harbor SchoolBattery Maritime Building, Slip 710 South Street

New York, NY 10004

Graphic Design & IllustrationMTWTF: Boyeon Choi, Virginia Chow, GlenCummings, Aliza Dzik, Pedro Gonalves,Ravena Hengst

Printed in Iceland byOddi Printing

Oyster Gardening Manual is a guidebookproduced by New York Harbor School andFoundation in collaboration with SCAPEand MTWTF as part of the Rebuild by Designinitiative.

The Urban Assembly New York Harbor Schoolis located in the heart of New York Harbor,and is accessible only by ferry, Harbor Schooloffers a unique, on-water learning experi-ence for all its students. Students learn to

build and operate boats; spawn and harvestmillions of oysters; design submersible,remotely-operated vehicles; conduct real-liferesearch; and dive underwater. Students goon trips, tour colleges, hear and learn from ex-perts in science and industry, and participatein the schools on-going oyster restorationresearch program. Harbor Foundation is a502(c)3 non-profit based on Governors Island,whose missions is to prepare New York Citystudents for careers in marine scienceand technology through the restoration ofNew York Harbor.

Rebuild by Design, an initiative of theHurricane Sandy Rebuilding Task Force andHUD, is aimed at addressing structural andenvironmental vulnerabilities that HurricaneSandy exposed in communities throughoutthe region and developing fundable solutionsto better protect residents from future

climate events. Because of the enormity ofthis challenge, the Rebuild by Design processwas developed to find better ways ofimplementing designs and informing policy.http://www.rebuildbydesign.org/

NY/NJ Baykeeper is an independent 5013non-profit with a mission to protect, preserve,and restore the NY/NJ Harbor Estuary. Since1989, Baykeeper has served as the citizenadvocate for the bays, streams and shores of

the Hudson-Raritan Estuarystopping pol-luters, championing public access, influ-encing land use decisions, educating thepublic and preserving and restoring habitat.Baykeeper works to pursue a healthy

harbor through three core programs: Conser-vation, Oyster Restoration, and Clean WaterCampaign.

SCAPE/LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE PLLC is adesign-driven landscape architectureand urban design studio based in New York.SCAPE is a certified WBE with LEED-accredit-

ed professionals on staff. SCAPE shares acommitment to innovative design andconstruction of the urban landscape. Living,Growing Breakwaters is the SCAPE teamproposal for the Rebuild By Design initiative.This project proposes the restoration ofliving reef ecosystems to the South Shore ofStaten Island for risk reduction, enhancedwaterfront recreation, and increased shore-line education and stewardship.

MTWTF is a graphic design studio specializ-ing in environmental signage and graphics,identity systems, interactive design and pub-lication platforms. MTWTF creates strategiccommunication objects that make complexinformation more accessible.

4


INTRODUCTION

History of the NY Bay OysterAbout the Billion Oyster ProjectFive Stages of the BOP Life Cycle

BOP Oyster Gardening Manual

Preparing for the Field TripWhat is Oyster Gardening?What Each Student Should KnowBackground LessonsBOP Gardening Kit

Dividing the Class into GroupsRecruit Chaperons

Getting StartedSetting Up Your Oyster GardenMeasuring Your OystersWhere to Put Your Cage

How Deep to Put Your CageSecuring Your Cage

Monitoring Your Oyster GardenVariables and Oyster GrowthField ProceduresMeasuring 300 OystersMonitoring Living OystersMonitoring Dead OystersMaintaining Your CageDe-Fouling Your CageWinterizing Your CageTying Proper KnotsReturning Your Cage to the WaterTesting Water Quality

Other Noteworthy ObservationsUploading Data

AppendixWater Quality Test KitLamotte Water Quality Testing ProcedureSample Lesson PlanOyster Life Cycle and AnatomyEcological Services of OystersIdentifying Aggregating SpeciesHuman Health AdvisorySources and Credits

91321

35363839

4345

474850

5254

5758626465666768697071

7273

767898

100102104109


6


INTRODUCTION


8


9

HISTORY OF THE NY BAY OYSTER

When Europeans first arrived on the island of Manhattan in the early17th century, oysters were literally everywhere. Oyster reefs, ormassive conglomerates of individual oysters growing on top of one

another, covered more than 260,000 acres of our shoreline. Thismeans that oysters covered the vast majority of the estuary andformed the basis of its ecology and economy. Oysters were the firstcommodities that the native Lenape exchanged with the Europeans.They were easy to harvest and a cheap source of food for all. Theoyster economy of New York lasted for more than 300 years feedingthe rich and poor alike. By its peak in 1860 more than 120 millionoysters were sold in city markets and exported annually, making NYC

the oyster trading capital of the world.

Throughout the 18th century oysters harvested from the SouthShore of Staten Island and coastal inlets of Brooklyn, Queens, andManhattan were a staple of all New Yorkers diets and exportedacross the country. Thousands of New Yorkers worked in the boom-ing oyster industry. Small scale oystermen harvested wild oysters

by hand using flat bottom boats and large wooden tongs. The wildoysters were then brought ashore and sold to wholesalers, shuckinghouses, restaurants, and countless oyster standsthat lined thestreets of lower Manhattan throughout the 1800s.

By 1820 however, after more than a century of continuous harvest,New Yorkss native oyster beds had become exhausted. After theabolition of slavery in 1827 in New York state, free blacks from theChesapeake came to settle the South Shore of Staten Island andbrought in their seed oysters to replant the local beds. John Jacksonwas the first to purchase land in the Rossville area and led theestablishment of Sandy Ground, the oldest community of free blacksin the United States.

Because of the efforts of the men and women of Sandy Ground,

by the mid 1830s, the oyster industry in Staten Island was once againthriving. Along with it, the shipbuilding and ship repair industry ofTottenville also began to flourish. Throughout the 1800s, Tottenvillewas home to more than half a dozen shipyards. Unfortunately, by1890 the oyster industry was once again in decline, due primarily toindustrial pollutants and sewage. In 1916, after numerous outbreaksof cholera and other diseases linked to sewage contamination, theNew York City Department of Health declared all waters of the NY Bayofficially closed to shell-fishing. For the next 50 years, the waterquality and ecological health of NY Harbor continued to deteriorate.At times the Harbor was so oxygen-deprived and acidic that almostnothing could survive, not even the hardy oyster. But beginning in the


10

18001850

Eastern oysters were harvested from nativebeds, primarily Great Beds and Chingarora

Beds in Raritan Bay. Oysters were tonged and

dredged by hand. By the 1800s native oysterbeds were already in decline.

Im making

my livingpulling upoysters!

I remember, 10 yearsago, it was way easier to

harvest these oysters.

early 1960s, with the advent of modern sewage treatment plants, thissituation began to change. Since the passing of the Clean Water Actin 1972, which limits the amount of pollution and sewage permissiblein the harbor, water quality has improved dramatically within theHudson Raritan Estuary. Today there are 14 sewage treatment plants

in NYC capable of treating all of the citys 1.7 billion gallons of waste-water per day in dry conditions. Unfortunately, because there is onlyone pipe that combines storm-water and household waste, the entiresystem overflows whenever it rains more than a quarter inch in 24hours, dumping raw sewage directly into the harbor. Despite this fact,NYCs waters are the cleanest they have been in the past 100 years. Inthe last decade scientists and naturalists alike have watched in aweas many aquatic species, including the mighty oyster, once thought to

18501900

Oyster leases were created in Raritan Bay,where seed oysters were brought in from Long

Island and grown in the Bays shallow waters.

Native beds declined due to over-harvestingand water quality. Oysters were stored in

drinking creeks prior to final sale until the

late 1890s. Soft and hard clam harvest were

limited to wading depths and intertidal

shorelines.


11 History

19001950

In 1900 mechanized dredge boats enabledmore efficient harvesting of oysters. Oyster

aquaculture declined due to pollution and

sedimentation. The oyster industry collapsedby 1925 due to human health hazard and

population decline.

Back in theday, there usedto be so many

oysters

I wonderwhat happenedto the oysters

that used to behere?

My schoolis growingoysters inthe Bay!

1950Today

Oyster culture is not a viable industry due topopulation decline and water quality.

Restoration reefs have been constructed at

limited sites within the bay and a larger areahas been identified by the US ARMY Corps

of Engineers Comprehensive Restoration Plan

for Hudson-Raritan Estuary as suitable

oyster habitat. Water quality has significantly

improved since the 1970s but wastewatereffluent and industrial contamination from

Arthur Kill are still concerns.

be lost for good, are returning to our local waters. With the help ofoyster gardeners, scientists, mariners, and all concerned residentsof the city, a movement for ecological restoration of the NY Harborhas officially begun. If we continue to improve our physical systemssewage, storm-water, and green buildingsand educate more people

about the life of the estuary and how to help restore it, the 21stCentury may once again give rise to the city (re)built by the oyster.


Dont call it acome back!

12


13

ABOUT THE BILLION OYSTER PROJECT (BOP)

BOP is Harbor Schools long-term, large-scale plan to restore onebillion live oysters to New York Harbor over the next twenty yearsand in the process educate thousands of young people in New York

City to restore the ecology and economy of their local marineenvironment. BOP is a partnership of schools, businesses,nonprofits, and individuals all working together to grow oysters andmake our city a healthier and more resilient place to live. Thispartnership also includes local, state, and federal regulatory agen-cies with whom we work closely to certify and monitor ouraquaculture methodology and ongoing habitat restoration projects.

School-based oyster gardening is an integral component of theBillion Oyster Project. Students as restoration scientists contributeto BOP in two main ways. Students help BOP to answer key scientificquestions about urban estuary restoration. They do this bygrowing and monitoring oysters in diverse locations and micronichesaround the Harbor. Student scientists try to answer questionssuch as: where do native oysters grow best in a highly urbanized

estuary? What site conditions (marine, atmospheric, terrestrial) arecommonly associated with oyster growth? What organisms(predators and associates) are commonly found in and around oys-ter restoration sites? What atmospheric conditions influenceoyster growth? These questions require long term research and prof-essional commitment from students, teachers, and schools.

The second major contribution of school based oyster gardening issimply to increase the total number of breeding adult oystersin the ecosystem. While 500 oysters in cage may seem insignificantwhen compared to the projects goal of one billion, each breedingfemale is capable of producing up to 25 million eggs every time shespawns (two or three times per summer). In a semi-enclosedembayment with one or two gardens this can lead to tens of millionsof fertilized larvae swimming about looking for a place to call

home. The more gardens we install the more likely the larvae willsuccessfully find substrate and metamorphose into oysters.

Each BOP garden is both a research experiment and a tangiblecontribution to restoration. Every BOP school extends the messageand the practice of stewardship. In our hope that BOP fosters alifelong appreciation in all students for the principles and practice ofenvironmental stewardship.


Oysters reefattenuate waves

Oysters filter plankton,contaminants and detritus

Oysters removeexcess nitrogen,cycle nutrients

and improve waterquality

Oysters reefs providehabitat for

marine species

Oyster reefsfacilitate submerged

aquatic vegetation

One oysterfilters 24 gallons

of water a dayin optimalconditions

1414


15 About BOP

OYSTERS AS ECOSYSTEMENGINEERS

The eastern oyster or American Oyster (Crassostrea virginica) is theonly species of oyster found along the U.S. East Coast. Crassostrea

virginicaranges from St. Lawrence Bay in Canada south to theYucatan Peninsula in the Gulf of Mexico, and can be found as far afieldas the West Indies and Brazil. The species most commonly occurs incoastal (estuary and bay) waters and is well known for forming exten-sive reef systems both intertidally and subtidally.

An oyster reef is formed as new generations of oysters grow on topof one another. Millions of oyster larvae are produced by a single

adult oyster, and there are billions of larvae floating in the water ar-ound a reef. These microscopic swimming larvae then permanentlyattach and grow on nearby shell (parents and neighbors). Over theyears this causes the reef to expand upwards and outwards. Thesethree-dimensional oyster reef structures provide habitat for a varietyof marine species and play an important role in shoreline stabilization.

As filter feeding organisms, oysters help improve local water qualityby removing suspended sediments and algae, and in so doing theyalso play a crucial role in nutrient cycling by removing excess nitrogenout of the system.

Oysters once formed the dominant habitat type in the Hudson RaritanEstuary (HRE) providing shelter, food and spawning grounds to over200 species of aquatic organisms. The HRE encompasses all watersaround New York City and northern New Jersey and is home to oneof the greatest natural harbors in the world, and now also one of thebusiest ports in the entire United States.


16

Hello!


17 About BOP

BECOME A BOP SCHOOL!

New York Harbor together with School and Foundation the NY/NJBaykeeper present the BOP Oyster Gardening and Harbor RestorationCurriculum for Schools.

Through a series of interdisciplinary lesson plans incorporating NYSCommon Core standards, BOP Curriculum is designed to give stu-dents a place-based education and build their enthusiasm for marinerestoration science and technology. The curriculum provides tea-chers an adaptable instructional resource that aligns with CommonCore math and science scope and sequence. BOP Curriculum is lev-eled for middle school but can be readily adapted by both elementary

and high school teachers as well. The oyster story of New York isalso a rich and varied theme that exposes students to the history oftheir city, marine ecology, statistics, environmental policy and reallife scientific research.

The Oyster Gardening Program in New York City was initially begunby NY/NJ Baykeeper in 1999 to establish a database for documenting

native oyster restoration and local conditions for survivability inthe NY/NJ Harbor Estuary. By enlisting the help of Harbor residents,the Baykeeper was able to establish an extensive and ongoingdatabase that has been useful in informing local oyster restorationactivities. Over the years the program has enjoyed wide-spreadparticipation attracting private individuals and families, communityand civic groups.


18

Recordweather observations

Monitoroyster growth

Take care of300 baby oysters

Record water(surface) conditions

Collect, recordand upload data

Noteaggregating species


19 About BOP

STUDENTS AS RESTORATION SCIENTISTS

The basis of this curriculum is to enable middle school students tomaintain and care for a small cage of approximately 300 babyoysters (called spat-on-shell) for one to two years. By continuous

monitoring students observe and record oyster growth, mortalityand note aggregating species. Relevant water quality parametersare also collected. Through this research project, students developcritical thinking and problem solving skills. They learn to formulatetheir own hypo-theses and search for answers using the data theycollect, and they present their conclusions to their peer group at aschool wide symposium. Optionally, teachers can use thesymposiumto create a grade 8 exit project which enables students

to research other aspects of marine environmental science andtechnology, in addition to restoration of native oysters in New YorkHarbor.

This hands-on teaching approach allows students to gain directexperience with scientific procedures and career fields pertainingdirectly to the biology, technology, policy, and economics of the

estuary. By bringing this program to middle school students BOPhopes to inspire and equip them to become the next generation ofpolicy makers, scientists, stewards and advocates of the harbor.


20

Stage 1: The Hatchery

Stage 2: Shell Recycling

Stage 4: Grow-Out

Stage 5: Reef Building

Stage 3: Remote Setting


21

FIVE STAGES OF THE BOP LIFE CYCLE

The following pages depict the five stages of the life cycle of BOP.These are illustrated technical diagrams. They show almost all theactivities involved in the project, from production to education

to restoration. Each of the five phases takes place in unique loca-tion(s) around Governors Island and New York Harbor. BOP offersguided tours of the hatchery and other facilities on Governors Islandto motivated school groups. Contact us if you and your students areinterested in setting up an educational workshop and tour of theBOP facilities ([email protected]).

Stage 1: The Hatchery

BOP breeds and spawns wild oysters in the lab to producehundreds of millions of larvae for the remote-setting process.(@ Harbor School MAST Center)

Stage 2: Shell RecyclingBOP collects thousands of pounds of shell per week from localrestaurants to use as growing medium for new oysters.

(@ restaurants and GI/Earth Matter)

Stage 3: Remote SettingThe process of seeding recycled shell with millions of lab grownoyster larvae in large seawater filled tanks.(@ GI Pier 101)

Stage 4: Grow-OutBaby, spat-on-shell oysters are grown out in floating trays or schoolgardens for 1-2 years before being transferred to reefs.(@ BOP school gardens and floating nurseries)

Stage 5: Reef BuildingThe final stage in the restoration process, mature oysters areplanted on reef restoration sites around the harbor using various

structures and techniques. (@ multiple restoration sites)


20C

22

Cylindricaltanks

1

3

2

Each femaleproduces 10to 25 million

eggs perspawning.

Female

Sunlight

CO

The PerfectOyster

Farm RaisedOyster

WildOyster

Up to 20%hopefully

90% will besuccessfully

fertilized.

Male

Pre-harvestedgamete

Oysters eat algae in this casethree species ofphytoplankton. Algaeis cultured usingonly sunlight, starterculture, and smallamounts of nutrient

solution (mineral).

The firststep in the

hatcheryprocess is togrow oysterfood.

Secondly, youneed to choosewhat kind ofoysters youwant to breed.

Hello, ready to growsome oysters?

Thirdly, you need to trick theoysters into thinking itsspring by increasing the watertemperature and adding somepre-harvested gamete.

Then voila the oystersstart spawning en mass!

STAGE 1


23 BOP Lifecycle

Larvae growing a foot.

4Transfer themale andfemalegametes tothe larvaetanks forfertilization

After 23 weeks ofgrowth larvae developa foot and begin activelocomotion in searchof a permanent placeto settle. The biggestlarvae are filtered outand transferred toremote setting tanks.

Oyster larvae spendapproximately 2weeks in the feedingtank. Algae iscontinually addedin precise amountsto maintain asteadily increasingfood supply for the

developing oysterlarvae.

Hey, howsyour algaeculture?

Algae culture is verydelicate. If you dontmonitor carefullyyour algae culturecan collapse.

Hi, Impouringsomenutrientsolution!

And now wehave hundreds ofmillions of larvae!


Its smelly!

24

STAGE 2

Hey, restaurant goers!Did you know oysterswill settle on nearlyany hard surface.However they prefer thechemical and physicalcomposition of oystershell. Importing oystershell for this purpose istoo expensive thereforea major part of the BOPis to collect spent shell

from local restaurants.

Now off to the

Governors Island!

Please throwthe shells inthe collectingbin, sir!

Once the shellsare collected theyare brought back

to our outdoorcuring facility onGovernors Island.


25 BOP Lifecycle

BOP shell recyclingprogram operates weeklycollecting several tonsof mixed shell fromrestaurants all acrossNew York City.

Curing takes at least sixmonths of exposure tothe elements and periodicturning of piles. At the endof the curing period, shellsare washed and preparedfor remote-setting tanks.

I like oysters too!

Thanks EARTH MATTERfor helping us run theshell recycling program!


26

STAGE 3

Stacks of mesh bags

Stack of trays

First we wash thecured, recycled oystershell reclaimed fromlocal restaurants.

Shells areheld in placein the tanksusing meshbags, plastictrays, ormetal cages.

Remote settingis the process ofadding millionsof lab-grownlarvae to largedockside tanksfilled withseawater andsubstrate.


27 BOP Lifecycle

After a few days,larvae quickly settleand attach ourselvespermanently to shellsurface.

1040% ofthe larvae addedto the tank willsuccessfullysettle andmetamorphoseinto oysters.

Each tank holds

up to 50 thousandrecycled shells witha total of more than2.5 million individualoysters after the set.

Any larvae that havenot set on shells after

two days are filteredout using a sieve andadded back to a tankthat is still undergoingsetting. Once a tankis fully set then thepumps are switched torecirculation mode.

Larvae come from theHarbor Schools hatcheryor can be imported fromother commercial shellfishhatcheries in the Northeast.

Now we arespat-on-shell!


28

STAGE 4

Mushroom anchor

Large mooring buoy

Cage goes 2 ft.

under water

There are up to 250balls with stack of 4trays hanging below.

Secure yourcage withmarine lineand a back upsteel cable.Let me showyou how totie a bowline

knot!

Harbor School operates twolarge scale oyster nurseries,one in the Brooklyn Navy Yardsand one on the eastern shore ofGovernors Island.

After approximately 2 weeks inthe remote-setting tanks babyspat-on-shell oysters are readyto be transferred to nurserytrays and garden cages.


29 BOP Lifecycle

juveniles

juveniles

adults

adults

Spat-on-shelloysters of various

sizes in tray.

The GovernorsIsland eco docknursery has anapproximatecapacity of750,000.

Navy Yards currentlycontains approximately750,000 oysters andhas a capacity for up to2 million.

CSO(CombinedSewer Outfall)


STAGE 5

CONSTRUCTED REEF

STRUCTURES, REEF BALLS

AND OYSTER CONDOS

Green can buoy

34 knotcurrent

Oyster

condos

Reef castlespa

t-on-s

hell

rock

clams

hell

Shallow

water

level

4ft.

SPAT-ON-SHELL AND

SUBSTRATE MOUNDS

GIR

eefS

cience

Platform

... Simple ReefConstruction!

The layer cakeapproach made byplacing riprap (rocks)on the bottom,followed by curedshell and an icingof spat-on-shelloysters.

Unfortunatelymost of NY Harboris characterized byconditions of highenergy and highsedimentation.

Directly adjacent to the

reef is a science platformthat collects water qualitydata in real time andmonitors the effects of

reef restoration. Theplatform consists ofa 1200-lb. cementblock with 3 instrumentsattached and cabled tothe surface: the YSI waterquality sensor, the Son-Tec current profiler, and

the VIB live streamingwebcam. The dataare then transmittedwirelessly to a hosteddatabase and publiclyaccessible web interface.

Now, the mostimportant part,rebuildingself-sustainingoyster reefs...

This technique workswell in low energyenvironments wherewaves and tidal energywill not blow the newoysters off into thesurrounding muck.


31 BOP Lifecycle

Reef balls

MULTI-SPECIES

RESTORATION

6ft.

Reef castles and reef ballsare made of speciallycompounded concretewith a lower pH closer toseawater. Reef castlesand reef balls are seededwith oyster larvae inremote setting tanks thenplaced on the bottom asminiature reefs.

This complex marineecosystem provides habitatand food for thousands ofspecies, continuous waterfiltration for the Harbor, and anatural buffer against storms.

One approach to ensuringoysters remain in placeon the bottom in highenergy environments is tobuild large metal frames(called oyster condos)that can contain thousandsof spat-on-shell andare themselves habitatgenerating structures.

Multi-Species Restoration!This is the most comprehen-sive technique. Historically,New York Harbor was coveredin more than 200 square milesof oyster reef, but oyster reefdid not exist by itself. It wasthe middle tier of a complexecological edge with saltmarsh above and sea grassmeadows below.

Oyster condos arelarge metal frames

built from welded rebarand wire mesh sleevesor plastic trays thatcan contain thousandsof spat-on-shell.

Whenever possiblewe try to recreate thisenvironment. Wherethe shoreline is alreadysoftened or naturallyeroded, marsh grass(Spartina) can be plantedupland of oyster reef

structures. And if thebottom is sandy enough,Eelgrass (zostera Marina)can be planted below thereef structures.

GovernorsIsland2mi


32


B.O.P.OYSTERGARDENINGMANUAL


34

There are lots of

things we need todo to get ready!


35

WHAT IS OYSTER GARDENING?

BOP oyster gardening is a platform for teaching students environ-mental science research and fostering a personal connection to ourlocal marine environment. The goal of the curriculum is to grow more

oysters and to engage students in marine science and stewardship.

BOP oyster gardening is not just about taking field trips to thewaterfront. At least one week of in-class preparation and trainingin scientific monitoring is required before the first trip takes place.There are also dozens of related lessons in history, mathematics,and ELA plus extension activities and research projects that can beutilized in concert with oyster gardening. The BOP oyster gardening

contract requires that teachers care for and monitor oysters withtheir students on a monthly basis. However, these are just theminimum requirements. It is our hope that all participating teachersgo beyond the minimum to develop their own specialized HarborLiteracy curriculum based in marine science, policy, mathematics,ELA, or other subject areas.

New York Harbor Foundation and Harbor School have worked inpartnership with 15 schools and environmental organizations acrossthe region to develop the oyster gardening manual you have hereand the online BOP curriculum. We hope the resources developedthrough this network make it easy and exciting for students andteachers to access the Harbor and become empowered as stewardsof their own marine backyard. BOP oyster gardening is not an end initself, but a point of departure for a integrating New York Harborinto New York City Schools. It is up to teachers and students to takeit from here.

The rest of this manual covers how to prepare, install, and monitoroyster gardens in the field with students.

The manual is designed as a guide for teachers AND as a visual/

technical resource for students. Teachers can cut and pasteanything from the manual directly into their lesson plans or work-sheets. Teachers can also adapt the monitoring procedures asneeded, as long as the final data collected remain consistent andscientifically valid. We encourage teachers to communicate withBOP on a regular basis to share feedback and discuss the pro-cedures. Contact info can be found on the first and last page ofthe manual.


36

WHAT EACH STUDENT SHOULDKNOW

Before going into the field allstudents should be familiar with

the principles and practicesof scientific monitoring. Teacherscan use BOP monitoring lessonsto teach the protocols requiredfor oyster garden monitoring andwater quality testing. Teachersshould prepare studentsusing these lessons for at least

one week prior to the trip. Allstudents should be proficient inthe following aspects of fieldmonitoring:

1. Overview of the Data Sheet:small group responsibilities,

supplies and equipment,deliverables.

2. Making Weather Observationsin the Field: (without the use ofinstruments).

3. Understanding the Signifi-cance of Tides and How to Reada Tide Chart

4. Making Water Surface Obser-vations: Wave height, debris,pollution, observed visibility, etc.

5. Measuring Oysters: Use of thecaliper; millimeters and centi-meters; how to find the umbo tobill length; 50 oysters per sample;obtaining the average, minimum,maximum of the sample.

6. Identifying Mortality: Studentsshould be familiar with the taptest.

1. Review data sheet

3. Learn how to read a tide chart

4. Make water surface observations

5. Measure oysters

2. Make weather observations


37 Preparing

7. Identifying Reef Associates:Review the species ID cardwith students; if possible obtainlive samples of some commonspecies (tunicates, grass shrimp,

shore crabs) and examine inclass under microscopes. SeeReef Associates lesson plan.

8. Water Quality Testing: Allstudents should be familiar withthe LaMotte water quality testkit and ecological significance of

each parameter (see BOPlessons: Water Quality lessonplan and worksheets and WaterQuality Data Plotting andworksheets).

The teacher should identify stu-

dents who demonstrate strongunderstanding and dexterity forwater quality testing in classand designate these students asgroup leaders for water qualitytesting in the field.

7. Identify reef associates

8. Test water quality testing

6. Identify mortality


38

BACKGROUND LESSONS

Students should be engaged inbackground lessonsecologicalhistory of NY Harbor, the role of

oysters in the estuary, ecology ofoyster reefs, etcfor at least oneweek prior to the first moni-toring trip. Students shouldbe engaged for at least one addi-tional week in field monitoringtraining and the protocols forcompleting the oyster gardening

field data sheet.

Teachers can download back-ground and training lesson planson the BOP website or createtheir own. Regardless of whetherteachers create their own lessons

or use BOP related curri-culum, NY Harbor Foundation willprovide free in-class supportand assist teachers in developingresources for oyster gardening.For support and questions,teachers should contact NewYork Harbor FoundationRestoration Program Manager.Contact information can be foundon the last page of this manual.

Project PORTS

Curriculum (by

Lisa Calvo)

Booklet 3

Estuarine Food

Web LP

Manhattan

1609: Mapping

the Historical

Ecology of NY

Harbor (The

Welikia Project)

Estuary Mapping

Lesson Plan

Estuary Article

(for Estuary

Mapping LP)

Watershed

Lesson Plan and

Worksheets

Restoration

Lesson Plan and

Worksheets

Project PORTS

Curriculum (by

Lisa Calvo)

Booklet 1

Project PORTS

Curriculum (by

Lisa Calvo)

Booklet 2

Reef AssociatesLesson Plan

Student HREMap (for Estuary

Mapping LP)

Oyster

Reproduction

Lesson Plan

Oyster Reef

Function

Lesson Plan and

Worksheets


39 Preparing

BOP OYSTER GARDENING KIT

- oyster cage- lines and cables- installation hardware

- calipers- thermometer- latex gloves- dump bottle- scrub brush- laminated species ID card- clipboard- five-gallon bucket, lid, and 25

deployment rope

Oyster gardening kit (5x)

YOU BRING

- writing utensils- camera (if available)- pocket calculator- water (for rinsing equipment)- towels or paper towels- knife (for cutting lines)- garbage bags (for collecting

marine debris)


40

OYSTER GARDENING KIT

Please carefully inventory thecontents of your BOP oystergardening kit. These materials are

your responsibility. Each item hasa specific purpose for monitoringand/or maintenance of youroyster garden.

1. Oyster Cage: Vinyl coated wiremesh or galvanized aluminumrectangular cage; enclosure com-

prised of bungee cord and hook;use zip ties and bungee as enclo-sure for additional security.

2. Lines and Cables: One 25 ftmarine braided poly line forprimary attachment to pier; one

30 ft vinyl coated in steel cableas back-up/security attachment.

3. Installation Hardware: 20 zip-ties for cage closure; 4 galvanizedsteel cable clamps for securityline; one in wrench fortightening cable clamps.

4. Calipers (6 pair): Used formeasuring oyster growth; onecaliper is assigned to eachgroup of up to five students; eachgroup must measure at least 50oysters; plastic sliding model

(Wilmar W80150).

5. Thermometer: Used for waterand air temperature testing.

6. Latex Gloves: For water qualitytesting and species handling.

7. Distilled Water: Required forsalinity test.

1. Oyster cage

3. Installation hardware

4. Calipers

5. Thermometer

2. Lines and cables

6. Latex gloves


41 Preparing

8. Dump Bottle: Small plasticbottle with lid used for storingwaste solutions from waterquality test kit.

9. Scrub Brush: For cleaning/de-fouling of the oyster cage.

10. Laminated Species ID Card(6): For identification of otherspecies found in and around theoyster garden; one card per groupof five students.

11. Clipboard: For field datasheet.

12. Five Gallon Bucket, Lid, 25 ftDeployment Rope: For carryingother items in kit and water

quality sample extraction; attachrope to bucket handle withbowline knot and deploy frompier.

13. Oyster Gardening Manual:Weather proof bound copy of thismanual for use in the field.

14. Water Quality Test Kit (1):LaMotte Scientific Estuary andMarine Monitoring kit; includeschemical test tabs for up to 10tests of pH, dissolved oxygen,nitrate, phosphate, salinity, fecal

coliform, turbidity, and temp-erature; can be operated by 2 to5 students.

12. Five gallon bucket, lid and rope

7. Distilled water 8. Dump bottle

9. Scrub brush

10. Species ID card 11. Clipboard

13. Oyster Gardening Manual

14. Water quality test kit

OYSTERGARDENINGMANUAL


42

YOU BRING

1. Writing Utensils: In order to noteyour test results and sizes of youroysters, please bring writing

utensils.

2. Calculator: While measuringyour oysters, you will have to cal-culate an average of their size.

3. Camera: If you are not sureabout a predator or associate,

while identifying aggregatingspecies, you can take a pictureand send it to [email protected].

4. Water: Used for washing andcleaning.

5. Paper Towels: Used for cleaning.

6. Garbage Bags: Used for clean-ing before leaving the site.

7. Multitool: If you have one bring amultitool with needle-nosepliers in case you have to makerepairs in the field.

8. Field Notebook: All studentsshould have their own fieldnotebook for taking notes andobservations (additional to the

data sheet).

1. Writing utensils

2. Calculator

3. Camera (if available)

5. Paper towels4. Water

7. Multitool6. Garbage bags

8. Field notebook


43 Preparing

DIVIDE CLASS INTO GROUPS

Before the trip, divide your classinto six groups of 3 to 5 studentseach.

Each group should be heteroge-nous, with a range of skillsappropriate for each of the mon-itoring tasks. Five of the sixgroups will carry out oystergarden monitoring tasks, whileone of the six groups will be

dedicated specifically to waterquality testing. If there are ad-ditional WQ test kits availablethen other groups can also carryout water quality monitoring.

Oyster gardening 5 groups

Water quality testing 1 group


44

It is recommended that theteacher assign each student aspecific role/function inmonitoring and data collection.Below are five roles for each

group:

A. Scribe : Responsible for care-ful (legible) annotation of all dataon the field data sheet.

B. Verifier: Responsible for finalcheck and approval of all data;

submits the field data sheetto the teacher; may also be askedto upload field data on the BOPwebsite.

C. Oyster Measurer: Trained in theuse of calipers and oyster meas-

urements; measures and statesmeasurements for scribe.

D. Species Identifier: Identifiesand counts all associatedspecies.

E. Organizer: Ensures that all fieldsupplies and equipment are keptin a neat and orderly fashionconstantly.

F. Water Quality Tester:Responsible for water qualitytesting using the Lamotte estu-

ary kit or other resourcesprovided; the teacher will assignwater quality testing to one groupof three to four students whowill then conduct all tests beforedoing any additional oystermonitoring.

A. Scribe

B. Verifier

C. Oyster measurer

D. Species identifier

E. Organizer

F. Water quality tester


45 Preparing

Teacher Adults Student groups

RECRUIT CHAPERONS

Teachers should follow theirschools standard regulations forfield trips (Chancellors Regula-

tions A-670 for NYC Schools). Asa waterfront activity, a minimumof three adults, including theteacher, are required for eachgroup of up to 30 students.Because the class will be brokenup into at least five small groups

for oyster garden monitoring, itis recommended that the teacherhave at least 3 additional adultchaperons on the trip, for a totalof 6 adults. Each adult should

be assigned to one small group,while the teacher should rotatebetween groups to answer ques-tions and ensure proper datacollection.


46

We have to makesure that the

cage is at least2 feet under thewater surface!


47

SETTING UP YOUR OYSTER GARDEN

Your oyster garden will be stocked with 300, 500, or 1000 spat-on-shell oysters, depending on the size of the cage and age/size of youroysters. You will receive spat-on-shell oysters produced by the

Harbor School hatchery and set in tanks of New York Harbor water.

The oysters may be anywhere from two weeks to two months oldwhen you receive them. One-month old oysters will range in sizefrom 2 mm to 20 mm. Typically each shell substrate will contain 10 to50 individual oyster spat, depending on the size and shape of theshell and the setting rate of the particular batch. The first step is tocount out the total number of live oysters. Identifying oyster spat

smaller than 1 cm can be tricky. It is possible to confuse oyster spatwith barnacle spat.

The next step is to measure the oysters in the garden in order to ob-tain a baseline for growth rate. The most accurate way to do this is tomeasure ALL of the oysters in your cage immediately after receivingthem. Measuring 300 oysters takes less than 30 minutes with one

person measuring and one person writing. If for some reason you arenot able to measure all of your oysters at that time then you can takea large representative sample (>30%) and find the averages.

Oyster shells have a distinctly round bulgingshape while barnacles are sharper and taller.Use the tip of your finger to sense the shapeof the shell.


48

1. Always measure oysters on theirlongest side

2a. Hold the caliper in one hand, usethe other hand to hold the oyster

2b. Place the jaws of the caliper abovebut not touching the spat

3. Note your measurement

4. Measure all individual oysters, startwith the exterior, move from the umboto bill

MEASURING YOUR OYSTERS

1. Always measure oysters ontheir longest side (from the top tothe bottom, also called the bill to

the umbo). When in doubt simplymeasure the longest side of theoyster. When measuring multiplespat clustered together on oneshell it can be difficult to positionthe caliper. Baby oysters arevery fragile. Do not damage theoyster while measuring.

2. How to measure multiple spaton shell (one person shouldmeasure while one person writesthe measurements on the datasheet):

a. Hold the caliper in one handand slide the jaws open grad-ually with the thumb. Use theother hand to hold the oyster.

b. Place the jaws of the cali-per just above but not touchingthe spat. Slide the caliper openor closed until it is preciselyaligned to length of the oyster(bill to umbo).

3. Note the measurement foreach oyster and record.

4. Measure all individual oysterson the substrate shell. Start withthe exterior (rough) side. Movefrom the umbo (pointed) end tobill (rounded) end, measuringall oysters systematically. Makesure not to miss or repeat any.After all exterior side oysters arecounted, move to the interior(smooth) side and repeat.

56. Note and tally the number of

Umbo

Bill


49 Getting Started

5. Identify dead oysters (see p. 63)

6. Record the number of dead oysters

dead oysters. There will be fewif any dead oysters at the time ofstocking; however oystermortality will occur over the nextthree to four months as spat

compete for space on the shelland students must be familiarwith identifying dead oysters.Dead oysters can be identifiedwith a light tap on the top shell.If the shell is visibly open or thereis softness or movement inthe shell this means the oyster

is dead.


50

WHERE TO PUT YOUR CAGE

Oysters prefer brackish waterand wide tidal range to ensuregood flow of food and nutrients.

The ideal location to installyour oyster garden is a protectedembayment with good exposureto tides and moderate to highflow rate to deliver food andnutrients to the filtering oysters.

Siting

The ideal siting to install yourcage is a dock, pier, or bulkhead(seawall) surrounded by watersmore than 5 feet deep at lowtide. If possible, choose a spec-ific location in the embaymentthat is most protected and least

exposed to waves or boat wakes.

Access for Student GroupsThe shoreline adjacent to youroyster garden should be easilyaccessible for your studentgroup and their needs. If possi-ble choose an area of theshoreline where students cancomfortably split into smallgroups and monitor the oystergarden. For some sites thismay include grassy areas, shadetrees, or benches. The teacher/site coordinator should be able

to raise the cage from behind therailing then bring it to rest safelyand securely on the shore sideof the railing. Ideally the oystergarden should NOT need to bedisconnected from the railing orother point of attachment.

Locate in brackish water

Best attachment point is set back orinvisible from railing

or


51 Getting Started

Attaching the LinesThe cage is secured with twoseparate lines: a braided poly-ester marine line and inchsteel cable. These two lines willcome pre-attached to the cagebefore installation. At the time ofinstallation, the first step is

to tie the long end of the marineline to the pier or bulkhead on arailing, cleat, or metal eyelet.Make sure the cage is secured onthe shoreline while tying thebowline knot. After the bowlineknot is tied correctly, lowerthe cage into the water to checkthe water level. To adjust thewater level, raise the cage thenretie the bowline knot. Once thecorrect height has been

Back-up attachment: steelcable with cable clamps

Primary attachment: marineline with bowline (see p.69)

established, attach the steelcable with plenty of slack toserve as a back up to the marineline. The steel cable should beattached with at least two cableclamps. If possible, choosea point of attachment which iswell away from public access

(behind a railing) or even better,out of public view. No matterwhere the cage is attached, re-trieving the cage should notendanger the teacher/sitecoordinator! For some sites, useof aboat hook (hook on a tele-scoping pole) will be helpfulto retrieve the line from behindthe railing.

Goal is to attach securely and make it inaccessible andinvisible from the public

1 2


52

HOW DEEP TO PUT YOUR CAGE

Very important! The ideal waterlevel for an oyster cage is two feetbelow the surface at low tide. If

possible cage installation shouldtake place during maximum lowtide. If installation does not occurat low tide, account for an addi-tional 1 to 5 feet of depthdepending on specific tides. Forexample if the cage is installed atmax high tide, then it should be

suspended 7 feet below thesurface. The minimum total depthat any oyster gardening siteshould not fall below 5 feet exceptduring extreme low tides.

Regardless of depth below the

surface, the cage should bealways be suspended at least twofeet from the bottom. Much ofNew York Harbor bottom is com-posed of thick mucky sediment.This sediment can inhibit oysterfeeding and oxygenation,slowing growth and eventuallysuffocating oysters. The sedi-ment is also home to the oysterdrill, one of the most destructiveoyster predators (see p.104).

In summary the oyster gardenshould be suspended somewhere

in the middle of the water column;closer to the surface (where thereis more oxygen) but neverexposed to the air especially inthe winter (extreme coldtemperatures can kill oysters ina matter of an hour). It is recom-mended that all oyster gardenersmeasure the total depth of theirsite before installation. Whenin doubt, you can always return tothe site at an extreme low tide to

Keep cages submerged to reduce vandalism

and protect oysters from cold air

Keep cages at least 12 ft fromthe sediment

2 ft

2 ft


53 Getting Started

make sure the cage is notexposed to the air (or touchingthe sediment).


54

SECURING YOUR CAGE

Please read and follow all of thesepoints extremely carefully.

The forces of waves and tidescauses the oyster garden to movecontinuously. In higher energylocations, lines and cables at-tached to the oyster garden willcontinuously scrape againstthe edge of the dock or pier. Thisslow steady friction will cut

through lines and cables in sur-prisingly short order. To avoidlosing your oyster cage to the bot-tom, check your lines regularly,making sure both are in goodcondition. Especially after stormyweather its a good idea to go

check on your oyster cage.

In case of excessive abrasion, themarine poly line can be placedin a conduit of old garden hose orreplaced altogether. The vinylcoated steel cable should notwear down unless the coating istorn, in which case the cablewill rust over time.

Cage SecurityUnfortunately, oyster cages areoccasionally tampered with inNew York City. The most common

reason for tampering is usuallynot malicious: maintenance staffor others working for the propertyowner, not aware of the program,attempt to the remove or destroythe cage. It is the responsibilityof all oyster gardening propertyowners/site managers to informtheir staff and train them asneeded in oyster gardening proto-col. Some sites may also chooseto display signage that explains

Some sites may also choose to displaysignage that explains BOP

In case of excessive abrasion placeyour marine poly line in a conduit of oldgarden hose

OYSTER RESTORATION IN PROGRESSOYSTERS ARE NOT FOR CONSUMPTION

NYC WATERS CLOSED TO SHELLFISHING

BY ORDER OF NYS DEC


55 Getting Started

BOP and restoration; howeverthis is not required and in somecase may draw undue attentionor nuisance to the garden.

In very rare instances oystercages have been tampered withor destroyed intentionally bypeople with malicious intent. Thebest protection against creatingthis sort of attractive nuisanceis simply to make the cagesinvisible to the public, either by

installing them on a securedwaterfront property or by attachthe lines out of public view (be-hind and set back from a railing).While BOP has experimentedwith tamper proof installationmechanisms, these are prohi-

bitively expensive and notjustifiable given the infrequencyof vandalism.

Lastly, and most importantly,make sure the hatch is always se-curely clipped shut whenever thecage is lowered back in the water.The bungee cord enclosure canstretch out and eventually break.If need be use two cable ties asthe enclosure for extra security.

Make sure hatch is shut, use cable ties forextra security

Hook

Cable ties


56

Ok letssee how

your oystersare doing!


57

VARIABLES AND OYSTER GROWTH

One of the main research questions in oyster gardening is whatvariables affect oyster growth rates and how do these variableschange across locations in the Harbor.

In this experiment, oyster growth is our dependent variable andeverything else is considered an independent variable. We cancompare oyster growth rates at one site across different times of theyear OR across multiple sites over the full year. For example,if we are looking at oyster growth rates at one site over an entire yearand growth rates increase in the warmest months, then we canhypothesize that temperature or seasonal water quality changes

are the main factors affecting oyster growth. If on the other hand,we are comparing oyster growth rates across multiple sites andsome are demonstrating higher growth rates then others, then wecan hypothesize that site specific water quality parameters(e.g., higher nitrogen content) are the primary variables of concern.Regardless of how we design the experiment, to ensure the vali-dity of our data and any conclusions we might make, it is extremely

important to monitor and record all variables consistently andaccurately.

The data sheet begins with students making (qualitative) observa-tions on weather, water surface conditions, conditions of the oystercage, and conditions of the shoreline. Following that studentsmeasure oyster growth, identify and count associated species, andtest water quality.


58

FIELD PROCEDURES

Arriving at the SiteAs the class arrives at the site,gather them closely around the

oyster garden installation site butdo not pull up the oyster garden.Ask them to carefully and quietlyobserve the entire researcharea including the water, theshoreline, and the upland areas.Ask students to record their initialobservations (in journals) for

about five minutes. These canalso be open ended and sub-

jective; how they are feeling, theirimpressions of the place,whatthey notice around them (on theground, water, air), their expec-tations or fears for the day, what

they think they will learn, and anyother creative prompts.

After the initial observations arecompleted, briefly review the planfor the day with them. Explainthat all small groups will be res-ponsible for answering allquestions on the data sheet.Explain that the final data sub-mission will be an average of allthe groups. Explain that redun-dancy is a good thing in statisticsbecause it allows us to finderrors and increase accuracy.

Observe the IndependentVariablesBreak students into small groupsand ask them to answer section Iquestions 1 to 6 on the field datasheet. What are the currentweather conditions? What are thesurface water conditions? Is thesite well maintained or not? Whatis the condition of the water?Does the water look dirty?

1. Observe and record for 5 mins

2. Observe weather conditions

3. Observe water surface conditions

4. Answer #1-6 on data sheet


59 Monitoring

Is there an oily sheen? How wasthe weather three days beforeleading up to the monitoring? Didit rain? Could that be why thereis litter in the water? For question

3, the teacher should provide acopy of a tide chart or be preparedto look up tides in the field using awebsite such as: http://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/stationhome.html?id=8518750

After all students have complet-

ed questions 1 to 6, the teachershould gather all students in onegroup around the site of the oystercage and prepare to raise thecage. Raising the cage is one ofthe most exciting and scien-tifically important moments of the

field monitoring trip. Studentsshould carefully observe what ifanything falls or drips from thecage as it is being raised. This mayinclude hungry blue crabs cling-ing to the outside of the cage,oyster toad fish and other finfishstuck in the mesh openings, algae,sponges, and possibly oily sedi-ment if the cage has accidentallytouched the bottom.

During the process of raising thecage the teacher should alsoexplain how to estimate water

level or depth of the cage. This canbe done by tying a colorful piece ofstring or plastic onto the marineline at the approximate level ofthe surface when the cage is fullyextended. The cage should thenbe re-lowered to see where thepiece of string falls relative to thesurface. The teacher shouldask students to make their ownestimates of the depth of the cagebased on this process.

5. Raise the cage from the water

7. Answer #7 on data sheet and

document cage conditions

6. Observe and record organisms inthe cage

8. Identify reef associates andpredators


60

Once the cage has been retrievedfrom the water and placedsecurely on the shoreline, care-fully open the cage and ask allstudents to observe the contents

but do not touch. There will mostlikely be various small organismsmoving around; grass shrimp,shore crabs, sand wormsand others. Ask students to givea description of the conditionof the cage and answer the finalquestion 7. Is the cage covered

over by algae and/or sediment?(Fouling organisms can preventwater flowing through the cageultimately affecting the oys-ters ability to feed.) Is the cagedamaged?

Identify Reef Associates andPredatorsNow split the students back intotheir groups (see p. 43/44). TheOyster Measurers will measureoysters while the Species Iden-tifiers begin identifying andrecording reef associates andpredators. If there are not enoughstudents in the group for bothroles, Species ID should happenfirst. Otherwise the associatedorganisms will dry out, escape, ordie before there is time to observethem. Students should use the

Organism Identification Sheet tohelp with species identification.When an organism is unknown,the teacher should be consulted.If the teacher cannot identifythe organism take a picture of theorganism and send it directly [email protected].

Student scientists must recordand note the presence of oysterpredators and reef associates

Reef species id (see p.104)

9. Record and note the presence ofpredators and associates


61 Monitoring

living amongst their subset ofoysters. Knowing the prevalenceand quantities of these speciesover time can help us betterunderstand the variables affect-

ing oyster growth, both positive(mutualistic or communisticorganisms) and negative (pre-dator organisms). Studentsshould note the presence andnumber of these marineorganisms. Record data on thedata sheet.


62

MEASURING 300 OYSTERS

Each oyster gardening cage has atotal of 300 to 1000 oysters. Atleast 300 of the total number of

oysters in the cage should bemeasured. To do this all studentgroups will need to measure aset of 60 oysters.

After the cage is opened and as-sociated species have beenobserved, the instructor will

divide the total number of oystersinto 6 subsets, one for eachgroup (50 to 200 oysters will givento each group). Make sure thestudents handle the oysters ex-tremely carefully. Spat on shellclusters are fragile when young.

Each group should receive atleast 2 calipers. Students shouldonly measure LIVE oysters. Eachgroup should measure a maxi-mum of 50 LIVE oysters. The spaton shell clusters for measuringshould be chosen at random fromthe group subset. The remainingspat on shell clusters should becounted and the number of deadoysters on each cluster shouldbe tallied.

Randomly choose 50 LIVE oysters

to measure. Make sure thatafter each oyster is measured itis separated from the subset pileto ensure that each oyster ismeasured only once. Live oystershave both valves intact and arefirmly shut. Record oyster lengthin mm on the data sheet prov-ided. Oyster shell length is meas-ured from the umbo to the bill.And all measurements are to berecorded in the metric system!

Calipers

Oyster shell length is measured fromthe umbo to the bill. All measurementsare to be recorded in the metric system!

Bill

Umbo


63 Monitoring

All students must record at least50 oyster measurements on theirdata sheet (see p.48).

Mortality Monitoring

ALL dead oysters within eachsubset are to be tallied andthe total number of dead oystersshould be recorded on eachgroups data sheet.

Students should inspect theirentire subset of oysters to

determine the number of deadand living oysters.

Count all dead oysters in thesub-setDO NOT discard deadoysters or detach from clumps.KEEP ALL DEAD OYSTERS

in the sample and return to thepopulation.

Identifying Tips for Dead OystersDead oysters will be gaping openor will discharge bubbles at therim when lightly squeezed. Deadoysters will also sound hollowwhen lightly tapped. To doublecheck that an oyster is deadgently try to pry them open withyour fingernail. A dead oysterwill generally open very easily.Often a dead oyster is filled withmud and therefore can be

mistaken for being alive. Thefingernail check is especiallyuseful to make sure that theoyster is truly dead.

Dead oysters sound hollow when lightlytapped

Dead oyster will discharge bubbles

when lightly squeezed

A dead oyster is gaping open

To check if oyster is dead, gently try topry it open

kon

k


64

MONITOR LIVING OYSTERS

Each group gets a subset of thegarden; 50 to 200 oysters

Make sure the oysters are keptout of direct sunlight; splashwater on the oysters to keep themfrom drying out; baby oystersare very fragile; be careful not todamage their shells.

Carefully measure each individual

oyster on the cluster using thecaliper. Do not measure the largershell substrate, measure onlyindividual live oysters; be carefulnot to damage the oysterswith the caliper jaws. The meas-urer should call out each oyster

measurement.

The scribe should record eachmeasurement on the data sheet.The measurer should measureat least 50 oysters in the sample.

Once all of the oysters on a shellcluster have been measured thatcluster should be placed in pileof measured oysters; Be verycareful to keep the pile of meas-ured and unmeasured oystersseparate so as not to measure anyoysters twice.

Alive

Each group gets 50200 oysters

Record length in millimeters

Measure

Compile and return to cage


65 Monitoring

Dont discard dead oysters

Dead oysters

Record number of dead oysters

Compile and return to cage

Count

MONITOR DEAD OYSTERS

When an oyster is dead its shellbegins to open. The shell can alsofeel flexible or soft to the touch.

If the oyster has been dead formore than a few days, its shellswill be wide open.

Whenever a dead oyster is foundamongst the living, do not removeit. Simply add one to the runningtally. Keep a tally of the total num-

ber of dead oysters. During eachmonitoring trip you will need torepeat the count of dead oysters.


66

MAINTAINING YOUR CAGE

Cages should be maintained inperson by an adult at leastonce every four weeks from May 1

through October 31 and onceevery eight weeks from Nov 1through April 30. Maintenanceroutine includes the followingitems:

1. Haul the cage fully out of thewater and on to the shoreline for

inspection

2. Inspect the cage thoroughly forany damage or weakness.

3. Inspect the lines and cable fordamage or abrasion. Replace or

reinforce lines as needed.

4. Clean and de-foul the cage

1. Haul cage out of water

Check lineand cable

Checkbowline

3. Inspect lines and cable

4. Clean off organisms

2. Inspect cage for damage or weakness


67 Monitoring

DE-FOULING YOUR CAGE

In our estuary, an abundance ofmarine organisms will colonizeyour cage, similar to what

happens on the bottom of a boator pilings on a pier. During thesummer months, when watertemperatures are warmest, foul-ing will be at its peak. It is impor-tant to clean the cage periodicallyas fouling as can impede waterflowing through the cage,

ultimately starving your oysters.The most common foulingorganisms that will grow on yourfloat are algae, barnacles, andsea squirts/tunicates.

Scrubbing with a hard bristle

brush (provided in the BOP oystergarden kit) will also remove algaeand sediment; barnacles mayneed a harder tool. The hard sprayof a garden hose is sufficient toflush off the scrubbed cage.

Be sure to thoroughly wash downthe area around your cage afterde-fouling. Most property ownersdo not appreciate a pile of deadsea squirts and slimy algaelittering their waterfront. If youdont clean up, somebody elsewill have to!

Desiccation or air drying can helpto reduce fouling; you may leaveyour oyster cage out of the waterfor a few hours (up to 6 in cool/wet weather, and 24 in warm/dry weather) on monitoring days.This will dry out and kill manyorganisms that have attached.

Scrub with a hard bristle brush to removealgae and sediment

Flush off scrubbed cages with the hard sprayof a garden hose

Air drying can help to reduce fouling

Remove barnacles with a harder tool


68

WINTERIZING YOUR CAGE

Shallow waters of the Hudson-Raritan Estuary generally freezein late DecemberFebruary.

Oysters are tolerant of the coldwater, but not cold air. Make sureyour oyster cage remains in thewater even at the lowest tidesduring the winter. Keep the cagecloser to (but not on) the bottom,so as to avoid damage fromany potential ice floats on the

surface.

It is very important to protect thelines that are tied to the cage dur-ing winter, as icing on the shore-line can further accelerate wearand tear of the lines. If need be, tie

extra lines to the cage duringwinter to lower the chance of theice cutting the cage free. If youneed additional lines or cableplease contact BOP immediately.

Make sure your oyster cage remains in thewater even at the lowest tides during the

winter

Tie your line to a post or an eyehole

Secure a line to your cage


69 Monitoring

2. The rabbit comes out ofits hole

TYING PROPER KNOTS

Tying strong and resilient knots(correctly) will ensure that youroyster cage does not come untied.

A great knot for this purpose isthe bowline; this knot will neverslip, and holds especially wellunder tension. The bowline shouldbe used for all oyster gardenattachments; line to the cage, andcage to the dock.

Tie a bowline when:

A. You need to secure a line toyour cage.

B. You need to tie your line to apost or through an eye-hole.

1. Make a rabbit hole

3. The rabbit runs aroundthe tree

4. The Rabbit Runs BackDown Its Hole


70

RETURNING YOUR CAGE TO THEWATER

Once the class has measured andrecorded all the data, place all

oysters back into the cage and besure to close the hatch and fastenproperly! (Use cable ties foradded security). If necessary, re-install the cage by securely tyingthe marine line to the railing witha bowline knot and use the wireclamp provided. Gently lower the

cage back into the water. Makesure the cage, is continually freeof debris and fouling organisms.These may need to be cleared offso as not to impede water flowover the cage and create excesstension on the rope. Before re-

suspending your cage, make surethat your rope is still in a goodcondition. If necessary, replaceyour rope or add a second line ifyour cage is heavy.Gently lower the cage back into the water

Make sure hatch is shut, use cable ties forextra security

Hook

Cable Ties


71 Monitoring

TESTING WATER QUALITY

See water quality testingprocedures on page 76

Students will test physicalproperties of water and waterchemistryusing the LamotteEstuary and Marine Water QualityMonitoring Kit.

Monitoring instructions for thespecified parameters are in

the appendix. You can also referto the kit manual when out inthe field.

All students should be instructedin water quality monitoring inthe classroom; however, when in

the field we suggest havingonly one student group (3 to 5students) conduct the samplingand tests. The water qualitytest group can rotate during eachof the six trips or the groupcan remain the same for all trips(greater consistency/accuracyof results).

Using a bucket suspended from arope, collect a sample of waterfrom an area close to where youroyster cage is suspended. Thesame water sample should be

used for all 8 tests as instructedbelow.

Conduct the temperature anddissolved oxygen tests first, asthese parameters can changequickly once the sample is ex-tracted from the harbor.

Students will test physical properties of waterand water chemistry


72

OTHER NOTEWORTHYOBSERVATIONS

Ask students to make any finalobservations about the garden or

the site as a whole which were notrecorded in the previous ques-tions on the field data sheet. Askthem to take note of any socialor environmental conditions thatwere not recorded previously.For example, this might include:flocks of birds nearby, school

of fish swimming around oystergarden, oyster cage is damaged,public visitors asking questionsabout oyster gardening, construc-tion on site, etc.

Photos

Take photos of the oyster garden:oysters, cage, reef associates,site conditions, water conditions,weather etc.

Take observations about the site which werenot recorded in the previous questions


73 Monitoring

Verify and upload the data

UPLOADING DATA

The last component of the oystergarden monitoring field trip isto verify and upload the data.

Data can be uploaded to the BOPwebsite either back at schoolor in the field using the mobileversion of the website. BOP is cur-rently working on mobile app foruploading oyster restoration datain the field.

The teacher has two options fordata upload:

1. Designate a Qualified Uploaderfrom each student group toupload their own data sheet whilein the field

or

2. Aggregate All Groups Sheetsinto One Master and Upload It tothe Website Back in theClassroom.

If each student group has reliabledata and a capable uploader, thenoption A is better.

Regardless of which option theteacher chooses, one student pergroup is assigned to verifying

and submitting their data. Theverifier can be the same as thescribe. At the end of the monitor-ing period, this student willsubmit the data sheet to theteacher and if possible upload thedata to the BOP website via:http://billionoysterproject.org/share-your-research/


CONGRATULATIONS!

You have finished the oyster garden monitoring and data collectionregime. You are welcome to conduct additional data collectionforexample benthic studies and sediment analysisthen upload these

to the online database as supplementary material. You can also up-load special research conducted by your students. Remember youare required to upload the complete monitoring dataset at least fourtimes per year. Ideally your oyster garden should be monitoring onceper month from April to November.

The following appendix pages contain detailed information on waterquality testing, BOP lesson plans, and other supplementary material.

74


APPENDIX


76

WATER QUALITY TEST KIT

The following is a detailed expla-nation of the LaMotte Estuary andMarine Monitoring Kit; content

and how-to. You can also refer tothe manual provided in the kit foradditional information.

1. Kit Container: This big white jaris not only to carry the kit, butalso needed for the Turbidity Test.

2. High Temp Thermometer: Usethis thermometer for high rangetemperatures (>14C). If you haveyour own digital thermometeryou may wish to use it here as thetest strip thermometers are lessaccurate.

3. Low Temp Thermometer: Usethis thermometer for low rangetemperatures (


77 Appendix

8. Secchi disk sticker

Household chlorine bleach

8. Secchi Disk Sticker: You willuse these stickers for the turbi-dity test.

YOU BRING

The water quality test kit does notinclude bulk supplies such as rub-ber gloves, paper towels, bleach,or a dump bottle. You will alsoneed to purchase a gallon jug ofdistilled water for salinity tests.

Distilled Water: You will needdistilled or deionized water to fillup your tube during the salinitytest. This can be purchased at asupermarket.

Household Chlorine Bleach: You

will need the household chlorinebleach to dispose your coliformtest tube.

Paper towelsRubber gloves

Distilled water Dump bottle


78

WATER TEMP TEST: PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF WATER

ParameterWater temperature affects theamount of dissolved oxygen the

water can hold, which directlyaffects aquatic life dependent onoxygen. Students will betterunderstand Fahrenheit temper-atures, but in science it is im-portant to become familiar withCelsius. The Lamotte testing kitonly records temperature in

Celsius. Students can use theformula below to convert C to F.F = (C 9/5) + 32

C = (F - 32) x 5/9

Note: Alternatively, use the elec-tronic thermometer provided inthe BOP oyster gardening kit forboth air and water temperaturetesting.


79 Appendix

Use either the low range tem-perature ( < 14C) or the highrange temperature ( > 14C)

thermometer, depending onthe season.

The thermometers have an ad-hesive back. Adhere them toa ruler or some other object to

make grasping easier.

Ask a student to place the ther-mometer in the bucket of water.After 1 minute the studentshould remove the thermom-eter from the water.

Then read the temperatureand record the result in thespace provided on their fielddata sheets.

1416182022242628303234363840

14 161820 2224 2628303234363840

14 C

1m

1 2

43


80

DISSOLVED OXYGEN (DO) TEST: CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF WATER

ParameterThe amount of dissolved oxygenin the water is one of the most

important factors in telling howhealthy an ecosystem is. Allaquatic animals need oxygen tosurvive. Many variables affectDO, including temperature (coldwater can hold more oxygenthan warm water), time of day,presence of plants, and wind

conditions. DO measurementsare given in mg/l and as percentsaturation. 100% saturationmeans that the water cannot holdany more oxygen at that tem-perature. If more oxygen is added(such as by a high wind or a

water-fall) saturation may tem-porarily exceed 100%, but in thiscase oxygen will diffuse fromthe water into the air. Saturationlevels below 100% are not nec-essarily the result of pollution. Atnight, when plants arent pro-ducing oxygen through photosyn-thesis, saturation may fallbelow 100% as living things useup the available DO.

Note: ppm is the same as mg/l. Ahealthy range for our estuary is5.011.0 mg/l or ppm.

Submerge the small 1 inchtube (0125) into your watersample. Fill the tube with

water to the top.

Wait another 5 minutes for thecolor to develop.

5m

1

4


81 Appendix

Drop two dissolved oxygenTesTabs into the tube andscrew the cap on tight. Water

will overflow as you do this.Make sure there are NO AIRBUBBLES in the sample.

Give the tube a good mix untilthe tablets have disintegrated.This should take about 4

minutes.

Compare the color of the watersample to the DO color chart.

Record the result as ppmdissolved oxygen.

4m

2 3

65


82

TURBIDITY TEST: PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF WATER

ParameterTurbidity describes the cloudi-ness or murkiness of the water.

Estuaries are naturally turbid.In the Hudson Raritan Estuaryturbidity is made up of small bitsof plankton, pieces of detritusor decomposing plant and animalmatter, salt and suspendedbits of sediment. While too muchsediment may not be desirable, a

turbid river does not equateto a bad or dirty river that needsto be cleaned. Turbidity canreflect high levels of planktonproductivity (both zooplanktonand phytoplankton), and largeamounts of detritus (or decaying

plant material) that is availableas a food source for marineand aquatic species like oysters.Murkiness can be beneficial inprotecting the young-of-year fishfrom predators.

Note: Allow jar to dry thoroughlybefore replacing kit contents forstorage.

Use the test kit container toperform the turbidity test.

Then fill the jar to the turb-idity fill line located on theoutside of the jar.

1

4


83 Appendix

Remove the backing from theSecchi disk icon sticker.

Adhere the Secchi disk iconsticker to the inside bottom ofthe kit container. Position the

sticker slightly off center.

Hold the turbidity chart on thetop edge of the jar. Lookingdown into the jar, compare theappearance of the Secchidisk icon in the jar to the kitssecchi chart.

Record the result on the datasheet as turbidity in JTU.

2 3

65


84

FECAL COLIFORM TEST: PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF WATER

ParameterFecal coliform bacteria are nat-rally present in the human

digestive tract but are rare orabsent in unpolluted waters.Coliform bacteria should not befound in well water or othersources of drinking water. Theirpresence in water serves asa reliable indication of sewage orfecal contamination. Although

coliform bacteria themselves arenot pathogenic, they occur withintestinal pathogens that aredangerous to human health. Thispresence or absence i.e. positiveor negative total coliform testsdetects all coliform bacteria

strains and may indicate fecalcontamination. The coliformtest in the kit will indicate if youhave above or below 20 coliformcolonies per 100 ml of water.

As this test is sensitive to move-ment, it may be best to take asample of the water back to theclassroom and complete the testthere.

Note: This test requires 48 hrs forresults to be obtained!

Fill the larger test tube con-taining the tablet with yourwater sample until it its filled

to the 10 ml line.

DO NOT disturb, handleor shake tube during theincubation period.

DO NOTDISTURB

48h

1

4


85 Appendix

Cap the tube and let the tubestand upright, with the tabletflat on the bottom of the tube.

Incubate the tube in the up-right position, out of directsunlight for 48 hours. The

rooms temperature should befairly constant (70-80F).

After incubation period com-pare the appearance ofthe tube to the picture on thecoliform color chart.

Record the result aspositive or negative.

7080F

2 3

65


86

Negative Reaction:a. Liquid above gel is clearb. Gel remains at the bottom of

the tubec. Indicator remains red or turnsyellow with no gas bubblesd. Indicates < 20 total coliformcolonies per 100 ml of water

Positive Reaction:a. Many gas bubbles present

b. Gel rises to the surfacec. Liquid below gel is cloudyd. Indicator turns yellowe. Indicates > 20 total coliformcolonies per 100 ml of water

Note: This test must be disposed

of appropriately. Please refer totest manual kit pg. 20 for details.

FECAL COLIFORM TEST 2: PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF WATER


87 Appendix

One tube at a time, remove thecap and add approximately 1ml (1/3 teaspoon or 20 drops) of

household chlorine bleach andimmediately recap.

Dispose of the closed tubes inthe trash. Do not open tubes.NEVER reuse tubes after coli-form bacteria testing.

Let the tube stand upright forabout 4 hours.

4h

1 2

3


88

PH TEST: CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF WATER

ParameterpH measures how acidic or basic(alkaline) a solution is. pH is

measured on a scale from 0 to 14.The middle of the scale, 7.0, isneutral, below 7.0 is acidic andabove 7.0 is basic. Seawatertends to be more of a base thanneutral, so the higher your salinitythe higher your pH may be. Thereare NO UNITS used with pH.

Most aquatic organisms areadapted to a specific pH level andmay die if the pH of the waterchanges even slightly. Most fishprefer a pH range of 6.5 to 8.5 pH.

Fill the larger test tube to the10 ml line with water fromyour water sample.

Compare color of water sampleto the pH color chart.

1

4


89 Appendix

Cap and mix until tablet hasdisintegrated. Bits of materialmay remain in the sample.

Add 1 pH wide range test tab.

Record the pH result on thedata sheet.

2 3

5


90

ParameterWhen we measure salinity, weare measuring the amount of salt

present in the water. Much ofthis salt is sodium chloride, justlike table salt. Variable salinity isthe most characteristic featureof estuaries. In estuaries,salinity can change daily with thetides and tidal excursions.Salinity also changes dramatic-

ally during the seasons. The headof an estuary may experiencealmost full-strength seawater inthe summer, while in the winterfloods of fresh water may reachthe mouth of an estuary.

The main source of salt in theHudson Raritan Estuary is sea-water pushing in from the ocean.Fresh water is brought downfrom the mountains by theHudson River.

Seawater salinity range:3335 ppt

Estuary salinity range:528 ppt **** Oysters preferable range!

Freshwater salinity range:

03 ppt

SALINITY TEST: CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF WATER

Use the supplied pipet to add5 drops of your sample waterto the large round tube.

Add one Chloride TesTab

1

4


91 Appendix

Fill the tube to the 100 ml linewith distilled or deionizedwater.

Then add 10 ml of the dilutedsample (Step 2) from the largertube into the 10 ml test tube.

Mix until tablet has dissolved. Place the tube over theright-hand column of the blackcircles on the salinity chart.Compare the appearance of thecircles through the tube tothe circles, record the result.

2 3

65


92

NITRATES TEST: CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF WATER

ParameterNitrates (NO3-), measured in mg/L, are a form of nitrogen. They

occur naturally as a part of plantand animal growth and decay.They are also abundant in humansewage. Nitrates are essentialnutrients used by plants and ani-mals for maintenance andgrowth (building protein), butnormally occur in small levels of


93 Appendix

Add 1 Nitrate Wide Range CTATestTab, and immediately slidethe test tube into the Protective

Sleeve.

Cap the tube and mix for 2minutes until tab dissolves.

Compare the color of sample tonitrate color chart.

Record the result on thedatasheet as ppm nitrate.

2m

2 3

65


94

PHOSPHATE TEST: CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF WATER

ParameterPhosphate (PO4-3) is the secondnutrient needed for plant and

animal growth and is also a fun-damental element in metabolicreactions. High levels of thisnutrient can lead to overgrowthof plants, increased bacterialactivity, and decreased dis-solved oxygen levels. Phosphatecomes from several sources

i

2014 bop oyster gardening manual - new york edition

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