Size matters—the oyster population of the Chesapeake Bay throughout history

Colonial descriptions of the Chesapeake Bay region by early English explorers and settlers, such as Captain John Smith, consistently remarked upon the teeming populations of all types of fish and wildlife. Due to extensive population growth in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, and the pollution run-off and overharvesting that has accompanied that growth, much of the marine life of the largest estuary in North America has been nearly decimated. Efforts to reverse this decline has led researchers to reach back into history to determine the earlier health of the Bay’s marine populations.

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Oyster Archaeology: Ancient Trash Holds Clues to Sustainable Harvesting

By Natalie Jacewicz

National Public Radio

July 28, 2016