Chesapeake Beach Oyster Restoration

This square is sponsored by John and Merrilyn Bacon and depicts a host oyster shell containing several baby oysters or 'spat,' designed by Janet Jones of North Beach, MD. John and friends began the Chesapeake Beach Oyster Cultivation Society (CBOCS) in June 2011 to help restore the health of the Chesapeake Bay through oyster cultivation. In the early 1900's, there were enough oysters to filter the Bay's 19 trillion gallons in one week, while now it takes one year. One mature oyster can filter 50 gallons of water a day and CBOCS has placed more than 800,000 baby oysters on a reef off of Chesapeake Beach, making it integral in supporting the health of the Bay's ecosystems.