LEWES, Del. — After more than two years of development, the University of Delaware has begun distributing baby oysters from its new hatchery in Lewes. This state-of-the-art program is set to revolutionize the oyster-growing industry in Delaware, with more than half a million baby oysters, known as spat, being cultivated as part of the initiative.
The process starts with water filling tanks where the oyster seeds are held.
Assistant Professor Edward Hale, who is leading the project, believes that growing oysters in a facility and distributing those seeds to local farmers will provide a significant boost to Delaware’s economy. "The more oyster farmers we have, the more oysters we can grow, and the better we're going to do for our local environment," Hale said. "Making that connection is really important."
Local farmer Mark Nardi is one of the recipients of the oyster seeds. He hopes this program will elevate the reputation of Delaware oysters. "I'd like to see the community rally around it like they do in New England or Maryland, where people are proud of their local oysters," Nardi said. "That would be a wonderful thing."
Hale noted that this milestone has been a long time coming. "Some of our farming community in the aquaculture world are excited to grow a Delaware-sourced product. They realize there's marketing potential behind it, and consumers want to see it," he said.
The ultimate goal is for the Lewes hatchery to supply Delaware’s entire oyster industry, according to Hale.