Don Webster, ₁ Steven Weschler, 1. Alan Roache, ₁ Don Meritt, ₃. Stephan Abel & ₃ Kevin Wilcox. January 16, 2016 Ocean City MD

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1 ₂ Don Webster, ₁ Steven Weschler, 1 Alan Roache, ₁ Don Meritt, ₃ Stephan Abel & ₃ Kevin Wilcox ₁ University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science Horn Point Laboratory ₂ University of Maryland Extension Wye Research and Education Center ₃ Oyster Recovery Partnership January 16, 2016 Ocean City MD

2 Maryland Oyster Aquaculture Major revision in Maryland lease laws in 2009; reopened in 2010 Support programs established for Education & Training, Low-interest Loans, Habitat Grants, Remote Setting for Seed Production and dedicated Aquaculture Division for application processing Remote setting developed in the Pacific Northwest; introduced to Chesapeake Bay in 1982 Adopted in the Chesapeake Bay as a method for spat on shell seed

3 Growout Hatchery Nursery Setting

4 2 to 3 weeks About 12 hours Veliger Trochophore Pediveliger Fertilized Egg SETTING Few Hours Unfertilized Egg Early Spat SPAWNING Adult Oysters MID JUNE TO AUGUST SRAC Juveniles I Year

5 Oyster Aquaculture Components Broodstock Conditioning Can be simple or complicated Spawning Mass Spawn or Strip Spawn Larval Rearing Expensive, requires training and facilities Algae Production Expensive, requires training and facilities Setting Should be simple, equipment, training, cost Nursery May or may not be needed Grow-out Decision required on system(s)

6 Broodstock Collection

7 Broodstock Conditioning

8 Spawning Water temperature is controlled and built up to simulate summer; stimulate with gonad from ripe animals; picked up and sensed by others for cue to begin spawning activity if they feel like it.

9 Larval Rearing

10 12 x 14 rotary molded fiberglass tanks are used to hold and feed larvae while they are growing and maturing

11 Algae Production: A Critical Area for Success

12 Eyed-Larvae: Metamorphosis About to Arrive

13 Searching for a place to spend the rest of its life

14 Packing Larvae for Shipment

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16 When received by the grower, larvae are reanimated by placing them in warm water

17 Remote Setting Training Program demonstration, UM Horn Point Hatchery checked as they begin moving again

18 and distributed throughout setting tank

19 Spat on Shell Setting Tank

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21 What: process of allowing eyed oyster larvae to attach to cultch during metamorphosis at a site away, or remote, from the production hatchery Why: separates components; allows choice of cultch; some control of production; and makes better use of all phases of production, labor, and management

22 Pacific Northwest

23 Bottom culture, Willipa Bay, Washington Photo: D. Meritt, UMD

24 The Setting System Components of an Oyster Setting System Tank to hold cultch containers and water Cultch containment devices (bags, cages, etc.) Water system (pump, filter, piping, drain) Aeration system (blower, piping, valves, etc.) Heating elements and controllers (optional)

25 Shell bags Setting tanks

26 Early West Coast System Taylor Shellfish Used local materials Foam insulated concrete tanks Wood fired heating system Key factors Innovation Affordable Adaptable Production increase

27 Small Setting Operation Bruce and Gordon Jones Innovative Aquaculture Products, Lasqueti Island, British Columbia. Use of a discarded boat renovated into a small remote setting system with propane heater underneath and overhead boom and hoist for moving shell bags to boat for nursery.

28 Maryland Program Introduced Remote Setting in 1982 Westside Project used hatchery seed expanded aquaculture included 4-H club System evolved for several years

29 The Spatmobile c. 1984

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31 Remote Setting Training Program Watermen interested in pursuing oyster aquaculture under the new lease program as an alternative to crabbing in summer NOAA provided Maryland Department of Natural Resources with Blue Crab Disaster Fund MD DNR provided funds to the Oyster Recovery Partnership (ORP) ORP contracted the UM Horn Point Lab and University of Maryland Extension to develop a training program to teach remote setting technology and promote aquaculture as a sustainable alternative

32 Remote Setting Training Program Ratcliffe Foundation for Entrepreneurship Blue Crab Disaster Fund financed three years ( ) No-cost extension allowed fourth year (2014) Next two years funded by the Ratcliffe Foundation ( )

33 Impacts of the Remote Setting Training Program Economic Strengthen local economies Educational Create a newly trained workforce Environmental Aid the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem Social Sustain traditional rural waterfront communities

34 Participant Criteria Tidal Fishing License (commercial); expanded from crabbers to include all TFL holders Requires current Maryland shellfish lease Terry and Robb Witt, Shady Side MD Landsat photo, from circa 2000

35 Remote Setting Sites 2015 DNR Piney Point Facility (Potomac River) Broomes Island (Patuxent River) CBF Discovery Village (West River) Witt Seafood (West River) Harris Seafood (Chester River) UMCES Horn Point Laboratory (Choptank River) *Crocheron (Fishing Bay) DNR Deal Island (Upper Tangier Sound) Metompkin Bay Seafood (Lower Tangier Sound) * To be removed in 2016

36 Site Selection Criteria Demand in local area Water quality (salinity and water classification criteria) Access to an ambient water source Reliable power Access to tank(s) from boat and/or vehicle Security (storms, floods, human interaction) Every site is unique

37 Equipment Provided Fiberglass tanks (8 x4 ) Seawater pumps Blower Pipes, valves, wiring, pad Hatchery larvae!! Training!! Evaluation!!

38 Workshops Off season meetings Regional Informational Annual results Grower assessment Rules modification Agency announcements (MDE, DNR, MDHMH) System scheduling

39 Grower Responsibility Sign up for two-week time slot at a specific location Allowed to set as many times as the period will allow First time users have priority over recurring ones Provide containerized clean, aged shell (swap or buy) Fill tanks with cultch before the time slot; clean afterward

40 Initial Visit and On-Site Instruction System Operation and Precautions Larval Setting and Handling Other Issues

41 Assess the set Calculate setting efficiency Re-set tanks (if needed) Follow-up Visit

42 Setting Efficiency Setting efficiency is determined by taking a sample of shell from the tank and counting the amount of attached spat per tank, comparing it to the amount of larvae initially introduced Setting efficiency= (average spat/shell) x (# shells in tank)/ (amount of larvae added) x 100 Example: 10 spat/shell x 100,000 shells= 1 million spat 1 million spat/ 3 million larvae= 33.3% Setting Efficiency

43 Why Is Setting Efficiency Important? Many participants are commercial watermen Most are new to data collection and use Most leaseholders previously used only natural set for operation which is highly variable and inconsistent today It s an important part of managing a successful aquaculture business Data is required to determine, track and maximize profitability

44 Planting The Product 2 week time period allows participants flexibility since it is their responsibility to plant the product Guidance is available Clean tank and airlines after planting to get the equipment ready for the next person

45 Innovation Developed plastic coated wire cages instead of shell bags Mechanized operations Determined tank sizes based on setting needs Developed vessels for better handling of seed

46 Objectives of the program Provide education to growers to learn the setting process Familiarize growers with setting system equipment, design, installation and management Learn to produce enough spat consistently to operate a profitable aquaculture business Understand how to calculate size and build your own system after 2-3 years of participation Decide whether to build a single system, work cooperatively with others or lease space in a system Grow oyster production in Maryland again

47 RST Statistics Participants Sites Larvae used (millions) Spat on shell produced (millions) Shell used (bushels) ,000 19,000 30,200 17,710 25,784

48 2015 Setters: Wrap-up Meetings Calvert County Extension Office, Jan 28, 6 pm UM Horn Point Lab AREL Facility, Jan 29, 6 pm Results of the RST production for 2015 Problems encountered Plans for 2016: tanks, locations, rules, future directions Discussion with setters to make the program better and more useful to the shellfish aquaculture industry WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU THERE!!!!

49 Additional Services Provided Lease Mapping -Seafloor survey showing your lease with depths, relative hardness, objects present and imagery of the seafloor to determine priority and avoidance planting locations Disease testing -Incidence and intensity levels of Dermo -University of Maryland Paynter Lab Data Collection -Mortality and growth rates LEASE MANAGEMENT = LEARNING THE SKILLS TO FARM

50 Publications and Spreadsheets

51 2016 Prices Diploid larvae Genetic lines larvae Triploid larvae Shell bags Shell exchange $225/million $265/million $300/million $3.25 each Fines $65.00/yd 3 $4.50/bushel (for 2 bags) **Diploid larvae provided free to RST participants for first five years **After five years system use, must pay for larvae

52 Rules for RST Program 1 st time users get priority over those who have used the program in prior years Setters get free larvae for five years of participation After five years, setters must purchase larvae Tentatively, in the sixth year, you will have to provide fee for use of the system

53 Future directions/implications We encourage innovative thinking and ideally want individuals to design their own oyster setting systems based on their area, production needs and management Many operators have taken the next step to build and operate their own systems for production, some producing spat on shell for sale to the state for replenishing public fishing grounds Designed to educate participants about strategies to maximize spat on shell production from hatchery grown larvae Currently planning program revisions, modifications and workshops for Year Six

54 The Great UM Horn Point Hatchery crew, UMD Extension, and our own ORP Our Growers!!!! Funding sources: NOAA, MDNR, and the Ratcliffe Foundation Acknowledgments

55 Contact Information Don Webster University of Maryland Extension Wye Research & Education Center Queenstown MD Phone: x127