The Eastern Oyster (Crassostrea virginica) is the species of oyster that is found from the Gulf of St. Lawrence all the way along the east coast of the United States and around to the Gulf of Mexico. Oysters serve several very important functions in the estuarine ecosystem. Not only do they provide habitat for other marine organisms and reduce erosion by absorbing the energy of waves that pass over them, but they also serve as a natural filtration system. A single oyster may filter around 30 gallons of water each day.   Because of these important functions, it is imperative that we maintain healthy oyster populations in Volusia County . One of the most important things that oysters need is a place for juvenile oysters (known as “spat”) to grow. When juvenile oysters are swimming in the water column, they seek a hard surface to attach to. If they can’t find oyster shells, they can attach to another hard surface. If the bottom is only soft muck with no hard surfaces, they will not be able to survive. Another characteristic of our oysters is that they are known as “intertidal” oysters. This means that these oysters must grow in areas where they are under water part of the day and exposed to air for part of the day. Volusia County Environmental Management will explore utilizing several different methods for the restoration of oyster beds in Volusia County .

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