Aquafarming

Oyster aquaculture in Maryland is carried out using both traditional bottom leases as well as newer water column leases that utilize containment gear to produce single oysters. This manual describes the different types of production methods that can be used to build an aquaculture business and is designed to help prospective growers choose a method as well as equipment that will result in the production of high quality shellfish.

Researchers from the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES) conducted a study to evaluate the potential effect of nutrient credit trading on the growth and profitability of Maryland’s aquaculture industry. Nutrient credit trading is a market approach to lowering the cost of meeting the pollution caps that have been established to restore aquatic habitat in the Chesapeake Bay. Oyster aquaculture producers are eligible to sell credits in this emerging market, which creates the potential for economic and environmental benefits.