Cambridge’s oyster hatchery at Horn Point Laboratory  recently produced its one-billionth spat-on-shell —a major milestone for restoration efforts in the Chesapeake Bay.

A spat-on-shell is an oyster larva that has attached itself to a surface – in this case, an oyster shell. Each of these spats were produced at the Horn Point’s facility on the Choptank River during the 2023 season, with more expected over the next few weeks as the season comes to an end.

Horn Point Laboratory is part of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science on the Eastern Shore, a research institution that works towards protecting the state’s natural resources including the Chesapeake Bay. Many of the oyster shells used by the lab are provided by the Oyster Recovery Partnership , which works with local restaurants that are enrolled in a “shell recycling program.”

The bulk of these spat-on-shells will remain in Maryland, with help from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources  deploying them to restoration sanctuaries in waters connected to the Chesapeake Bay. By supporting these sanctuaries, the partners believe they can increase natural oyster reproduction in the bay, ultimately leading to improved water quality throughout the Mid Atlantic.

Governor Wes Moore visited the Dorchester County oyster hatchery  earlier this summer and touted a new policy for improving Maryland’s waterways and coastal bays. The governor also established the Oyster and Shell Substrate Task Force  to enhance oyster reproduction in the bay.