Eastern Shore oyster farm loses harvest in harmful algal bloom
NORTHAMPTON COUNTY — Oyster grower Alex Lambert had one day’s notice that an algal bloom was heading toward his 4,000-basket farm. It could be years before scientists know why.
A local grower messaged Lambert on Sept. 17, telling him discolored water was spotted in nearby creeks with suspicion it could be harmful to sea life like his oysters.
Lambert tried not to panic. He’d learned from other farmers that larger oysters tend to survive the type of bloom. But the next morning, on Lambert’s birthday, an intense smell ruminated from the Lambert Shellfish farm. The water was still, thick and brown, and dead fish floated along the shore.
The crew spent the day in defense, maneuvering baskets onto their dock, and moving about 500,000 smaller oysters by the shore. The smaller ones were closed up, a sign of good health, but Lambert knew they would have to check on the oysters the following day.
The next day, the small oysters were “popping,” or fully gaping open like a pistachio, Lambert said. Around 250,0000 1-2 inch oysters, which he thought would fare fine, were all dead. The next day, all of the larger oysters were popping as well.
“It became clear that we were going to lose just about everything,” Lambert said. “It was day by day, seeing the next size up die.”
In the past few weeks, Lambert has been going over his estimates for basket and oyster loss. Besides a 10% salvaged basket, the farm faced a 100% mortality, estimated at $400,000 worth of oysters.
Lambert heard from nearby growers up Hungars Creek that their farms survived. His oyster farm had never faced such widespread loss before.
“Without it moving, and it being so thick and highly concentrated, it was a lethal dose of poison,” Lambert said. “I’m curious what the folks in charge determined to be the source of this, or if it was all weather related.”
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