Our Goal

The Massachusetts Oyster Project is dedicated to the restoration of oysters to marine estuaries initially in the Boston area.

We wish to re-establish protected reef populations on suitable areas on the Charles River, Mystic River, Neponset River, Chelsea Creek, Fort Point Channel and Harbor Islands to improve water quality, offset run-off pollution, attract other sea life and help perpetuate the species.

Why Now?

The water clarity around Boston is improving. But there still is waste entering the harbor through street runoffand Combined Sewer Outflows (CSOs). When there is heavy rain, the water volume exceeds the capacity of pipes to treatment facilities. Thus domestic sewage and storm water may be diverted to the CSOs and into the harbor. Downstream, this can lead to beach closings in addition to lower water quality.

Proposed Plan

Our 2008 plan is to execute a pilot program. We will be working on the following steps:

• Identify site on Charles River---- DONE
• Obtain approval Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries---- DONE
• Dispersal Fall 2008: 100,000 seed oysters, 400 hundred adults---- 150,000 DONE!
• Establish a test population and monitor their growth

Our 2009 plan includes the following:

• Establishing survival of 2008 placement
• Publicize results and learnings
• Identifying news sites for placement
• Raise additional funds
• Replicate placement events

We can make a big difference

Charles river flow is 300 million gallons per day. Ten small beds of oysters 225 feet square (less than a football field) could cleanse this volume on a daily basis.

Would this happen instantaneously? No.Would every gallon of flow be filtered? No.But can these Oysters improve the situation? Absolutely.

We can start with little money

• $10,000 purchased the initial population of oysters placed in 2008
• Volunteer divers are conducting follow-up
• If the colony is showing signs of taking, attracting additional capital will not be difficult.