Submitted by Olympia Oyster Seeding Project
On Saturday and Sunday, July 23 and 24, a group of volunteers from around Olympia, including interested individuals and members of neighborhood groups, such as Richard Wolf, President of the East Bay Drive Neighborhood Association (EBDNA) and Dan Mazur, an Olympia resident, will be planting oyster seeds in Budd Inlet.
These oysters are not to eat, but to improve water quality. This is their 11th straight year of planting oysters in the bay. Our local bay is kept clean by shellfish naturally filtering the water and one oyster can filter up to 50 gallons of water per day. Not only do oysters clean the water, they remove nitrogen that causes algae blooms and red tides, enhance water clarity, promote eelgrass survival and provide excellent habitat for myriads of juvenile fish.
The group is seeking volunteers to assist with the planting and citizens who wish to contribute to the annual oyster growing effort.
$34.50 buys a “grow bag” with appx 100 oyster seeds inside, rope and rebar stakes attached. Price includes sales tax, delivery, and installation at the beach site of your choice. After a year, the baby oysters will be fully grown and may be released, and the “grow bags” can be used again to grow more oysters. For those who already have their own bags and oyster growing gear, the cost for seeds to refill them is $10.50 per hundred oyster seeds. The price includes sales tax and delivery of the seeds, along with refilling and replacement of the bags.
Oyster orders must be received prior to Wednesday July 20 and oyster planting day is set for July 23 and 24.
The oysters will be planted around Budd Inlet in East Bay, West Bay, and out to Boston Harbor, Cooper Point and Fishtrap. This includes East Bay Park, Rotary Park, Tugboat Annies, Mission Street Townhomes, and on individual’s shorelines.
Richard Wolf, President of EBDNA says, “We have been involved in this project for 11 years and everyone’s efforts have certainly made a difference in improving our shoreline around Budd Inlet.”
Dan Mazur adds, “I enjoy working on this project with volunteers from around Olympia and the Neighborhood Associations, its fun to meet the people and its beautiful to be out on Olympia’s shoreline at low tide. Planting the oysters also feels rewarding, working together, knowing we are doing something good for the water quality and fish habitat of our bay.”
To order oysters, become a volunteer or for further information, please email Dan Mazur at danleemazur@gmail.com or call 360-515-8474. Contact Richard Wolf at jwolf1946@aol.com.
