Shellfish aquaculture not only is a method to exploit marine resources for food, it is also a way to reestablish populations of valuable creatures that have been depleted by pollution, habitat loss and over harvesting. Since we are doing some of the work of nature, it is a very labor intensive activity.
There are a number of problems to solve besides the biological challenge of growing shellfish. These include: access to clean waters, the expense of water front property, access to open waters, lease requirements by the state, vandalism and of course weather.
Some of the biological problems faced by today's aquaculturalists include: good stocks of seed clams and oysters, diseases, and predators.
Aquaculture has been around for over 1,000 years but there are still many hurdles to cross, and it is still a risky investment.
Click on the pages below to see images of east coast shellfish aquaculture.
Aquaculture 1
Aquaculture 2
Aquaculture 3
Aquaculture 4Dave Page | Sandy Hook Page | Field Trip FAQs | Virtual Field Trip
Marinelife pageBoat Trips | G&T Programs | Creatures | Teacher Workshops |
Birds | Calendar | Map of Sandy Hook | Employment