Marylanders Grow Oysters
ShoreRivers supports native oyster restoration. Oysters are essential for the health of our rivers as they filter excess nutrients like nitrogen from the water column. Our Marylanders Grow Oysters (MGO) program is a collaboration between ShoreRivers, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science's Horn Point Lab, the Oyster Recovery Partnership, and Washington College.
If you live in an area with a salinity greater than 5 ppt and have access to a dock, you are eligible to participate in Marylanders Grow Oysters. MGOers collect their oyster cages and spat-covered shells every September to hang on their docks and return them in May. During those nine months, volunteers are responsible for maintaining the cages and oysters. If you are interested in growing oysters from your dock, please complete the volunteer inquiry form.
If you are interested in getting involved with oyster restoration but do not meet the requirements to grow oysters, ShoreRivers hosts multiple oyster cage-building and oyster reef ball-building events throughout the year. If you are interested in helping with these builds, please select “oyster cage building” on the volunteer inquiry form.
