Newport News – The Virginia Institute of Marine Science has again partnered with USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to help support ongoing efforts to restore oyster beds on private shellfish grounds in the state’s portion of the Chesapeake Bay.
In 2011, VIMS, NRCS and the Virginia Marine Resources Commission embarked on a journey to help bring back native oysters lost to over-harvesting, disease and degraded habitat. Beds that lay dormant for decades are now being returned to service to support spat-on-shell production and a growing population of the bivalves, fish and other wildlife.
In the past three years alone, NRCS has provided $776,284 in financial assistance through a Regional Conservation Partnership Program project to support tidal-bottom restoration on leased beds. This new, improved approach to aquaculture yielded 40 contracts with Virginia growers, including 11 in Fiscal Year 2020. When that project ended, the commitment to Virginia oyster growers continued with NRCS now making $260,000 available through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program to sustain these efforts.
For more information on EQIP and Virginia RCPP projects, visit www.va.nrcs.usda.gov. To learn more about VMRC projects and activities, visit www.mrc.virginia.gov/Shellfish Aquaculture.shtm.
T
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