Mudfest-- Native Oyster Restoration in SF Bay

WHO: Richardson Bay Audubon Center and Sanctuary

WHERE: Tiburon, CA

WHEN:

Each year, oyster spawn from San Francisco Bay and the ocean find their way up to Richardson Bay. Unfortunately, due to hydro-mining in the nineteenth century, the floor of Richardson Bay is covered in a layer of silt, making it difficult for the larvae to settle and grow.

This is where Audubon staff and volunteers come in: using shells from non-native oysters obtained from oyster farms, the staff and volunteers create artificial reefs for the larvae. Four times a year, fifteen volunteers of varying ages and backgrounds venture out into the muddy shallows of the bay, looking for native oysters. Their work helps us learn about which conditions larvae thrive under, and where the most new oysters have grown.

While much of Richardson Bay is urbanized, it remains one of the most pristine estuaries on the Pacific Coast. The bay supports over 40,000 diving ducks and water birds, as well as a wide variety of other animal species and plant life. Native oysters are an important part of this diverse ecosystem. They contribute to the water quality of the Bay through filtration, and help to provide a rich habitat for other species.

Sifting through Oysters

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