Friends of Sausal Creek |
There are oysters in the Oakland Estuary? That is the question I often hear when I tell people that I lead the Friends of Sausal Creek's effort to monitor the presence of native oysters (Ostrea lurida) at the Fruitvale Bridge. Historically, there was a great abundance of these small oysters. Oyster shells can be found in the Ohlone shell middens and are considered to have been a significant part of the diet of local Native Americans. But until a few years ago, many scientists thought these oysters were extinct in the San Francisco Bay. In 1999, they were "rediscovered" in a slough near Redwood City. |
Soon after, Save the Bay started its Oyster Monitoring Project to research the abundance and health of native oysters and to restore oyster populations. Increasing oysters would improve water quality and restore habitat for fish and invertebrates. Partners include Restore America's Estuaries, the NOAA Community-Based Restoration Program, the National Marine Fisheries Services, San Francisco State University, and the California Department of Fish and Game. This collaboration between environmental nonprofits, university researchers and local volunteers has confirmed that the native oyster, while low in numbers, can be found throughout the Bay. As part of this project, the Friends of Sausal Creek are now monitoring oysters at the Fruitvale Bridge, which is also the mouth of Sausal Creek. On June 28, 2001, volunteers hung our first "shell necklaces," 10-foot lengths of rope with large Japanese oyster shells attached. We hoped that the juvenile native oysters, which are mobile, would settle onto these shells. Then we could count them and measure their growth. Documenting this information is critical because there is very little scientific knowledge about this species. Initially, volunteers went out every two weeks and looked for the tiny spots that would one day be oysters. To our surprise, we spent most of our time monitoring slimy, squishy tunicates and the other colonizing animals that were rapidly settling on our oyster necklaces. Soon we had recorded over 20 species, and in September 2001, on Creek to Bay Day, we found our first oysters. We finally knew that the native oysters were successfully breeding in the Oakland Estuary. At our site, we are now tracking the growth of 130 oysters that settled last year, looking for new oysters, and monitoring the water quality. Last month our biggest oysters were 1-3/8 inches long! In addition, we have just found newly settled oysters, proof that our native oysters have had another successful breeding season. We monitor oysters at the Fruitvale Bridge on the first Saturday of every month from 9 a.m. to noon. For more information please call 501-FOSC, or e-mail coordinator\@sausalcreek.org. Our site is just one from which Save the Bay's Oyster Monitoring Project is gathering data about the reproduction and settlement patterns of the native oyster. This information will then be used to evaluate the best ways to increase the abundance of native oysters. To learn more about the other oyster monitoring sites, at Richardson Bay, Coyote Point, Redwood Creek, and Pinole Point, contact Save the Bay at 452-9261, or visit Save the Bay's Web site at www.savesfbay.org. Note: Charlotte Bell is the new Administrative Coordinator of Friends of Sausal Creek. |
