Eastern Oyster
Oysters feed by pumping large volumes of water through their gills and filtering out plankton and other particles.
The eastern oyster is one of the most famous and recognizable aquatic species in the Bay. While not everyone enjoys eating this peculiar-looking bivalve, we can all appreciate the vital functions oysters serve in the Bay's ecosystem, as well as their cultural and economic importance to the region.
Oysters provide habitat and food
Oysters provide habitat in the form of aquatic reefs. With its many nooks and crannies, an oyster reef can create 50 times the hard surface area of an equally sized flat mud bottom. Aquatic reefs are habitat for hundreds of Bay creatures, including sponges, sea squirts, small crabs and many species of fish.
In addition to providing habitat, oysters are a source of food for a host of animals.
- Oyster larvae are eaten by anemones, sea nettles and other filter feeders.
- Flatworms and mud crabs feed on new spat.
- Older spat and first-year oysters are preyed upon by blue crabs and some species of fish.
- Oysters lying exposed on intertidal flats are food for some shorebirds, such as oystercatchers.
Oysters filter water
Oysters are filter feeders. This means that they feed by pumping large volumes of water through their gills and filtering out plankton and other particles. As they filter water for food, oysters also remove nutrients, suspended sediments and chemical contaminants, improving water clarity for underwater bay grasses and other aquatic species. One oyster can filter more than 50 gallons of water per day.
Oysters are historically and economically important
The eastern oyster is a Bay icon. Since the late 19th century, the oyster industry—including the catch, sale, shucking, packing and shipping of oysters—has contributed millions to the region's economy and added to the Bay's rich history and cultural heritage.