Project in Tomales Bay aims to revive once-plentiful Olympia oyster
TOMALES BAY – An oyster that was once abundant in the Bay Area is being studied to see if farming more of it could help boost its population in the wild.
Scientists believe the Olympia oyster, also known as the native oyster, thrived along the West Coast, even with human consumption. But overfishing during the Gold Rush era became problematic.
There's a special project underway that could answer questions about ramping up the use of conservation aquaculture happening in Tomales Bay.
Shucking an oyster comes naturally for Gary Fleener, an ecologist. He talks about it, studies it, and shares what he learns, for a living for the Hog Island Oyster Company.
"We're going to see if growing them on our farm will help them recover in the wild," Fleener told KPIX 5.
One of the reasons the native oyster isn't a commercial grower's top choice is they are smaller and take longer to mature, unlike the much more popular Pacific oyster.
Fleener's team weighed and tagged hundreds of baby oysters, set aside for a multifaceted study.
"They're the right size and they're about to go out to Tomales Bay today," said Hollis Jones, a UC Davis Ecology Ph.D. candidate.
Not every oyster will be counted.
Years of planning lead to this moment as baskets with hundreds of thousands of baby oysters need to be carried, loaded, and then delivered to the nearby Hog Island Oyster Company farm during low-tide.
"I fell in love with the Olympia oyster when I found out people around this Bay have been eating it for thousands of years," said Fleener.
The farmed oysters will spawn, spewing larvae into the water, and reproduce for years. That could help wild populations.
To see if this project succeeds, requires patience. It will take years to see if there's an impact, if at all.
"At one time they were everywhere in the Bay. How many adult oysters does it take to stimulate a robust population in the wild?" Fleener said.
Fleener and his crew look for the best lines to place the baskets as they'll be above the water, and also in it every day, based on the changing tides.
They believe the native oyster grows faster, when it's submerged longer.
"This is our lowest line and with the tidal height, they will spend the most time in the water," said Max Rintoul of Hog Island Oyster Company.
When the farmed oysters mature, they'll be harvested and sold.
"A fourth to a third of the basket is ideal. When it gets to half full, then we'll either split them or move them into different container," said Austin McGuire, also of the Hog Island Oyster Bar Company.
"These are some of the Olympia oysters from our first run. Any of these could go to market," said Fleener.
After a hard day's work, it screams sacrilegious not to slurp some sweetness.
"It tastes soft, very fragile. That's really good," said Rintoul.
It's one step in the restoration process and just the beginning of new research for Fleener to talk about.
"By farming these we hope we're contributing to their recovery back in the wild," said Fleener.
That's setting the right tone for the environment and business model at Hog Island Oyster Company at Tomales Bay.
Critics of conservation aquaculture believe it can negatively impact the genealogical makeup of the wild population. But most scientists agree the potential benefits outweigh the risks.
As part of the project with the Nature Conservancy and UC Davis, teams are also conducting the study at other bay including in Central California.
Hog Island Oyster Company plans to sell more of the native oysters in the years to come.