The Puget Sound Restoration Fund (PSRF) oyster seeding project at Dogfish Bay was completed June 18 with the help of a donated Navy barge.

The goal of this project is to restore the habitat of the Puget Sound so Olympia oysters can grow their populations. These oysters are native only to the Pacific Northwest, and they are valuable because they improve the water quality of marine ecosystems.

Oyster “seeding” is the solution to restoring Olympia oyster habitats. The process involves piling a huge amount of oyster shells onto a Navy barge, and then blowing them off into the water with a high-pressure water pump that resembles a cannon. The shells then sink to the muddy flats of the bay and begin to establish a favorable habitat. 

“It’s that emergent structure we’re trying to provide,” said Betsy Peabody, the founder and executive director of PSRF who coordinated the event.

Layering two to four inches of shell on the sea floor is what creates this structure. When oysters spawn, they send larvae into the water, and those larvae need a hard surface to grab on to in order to survive. Laying shells in the mud is what makes this happen.

“It’s so they can re-colonize the area they’ve used historically,” said Peabody, referring to the Olympia oysters.

The goal of restoring this unique oyster is shared by the Navy.

“The Navy’s Natural Resources Program has viewed Olympia oyster restoration as a key part of the near shore habitat enhancement effort,” said Bill Kalina, Naval Magazine Indian Island environmental officer.

PSRF spread approximately 700 cubic yards of shell over a two acre section of the bay. The shells were loaded onto the barge from the pier at Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division Keyport by an excavator. Last week was a prime time to do this because the oysters had already spawned and needed the shells. 

Large Pacific oyster shells were used for the seeding. The bigger shells are necessary because they won’t sink into the mud. 

Using shells also helps maintain the biodiversity of the Puget Sound. By laying this structure, Olympia oysters gain the chance to be self-sustaining. Growing common oysters in a hatchery and dumping them into the bay would prevent this.

Helping Olympia oysters grow has many benefits. They act as natural water filters by sucking the silt out of the water and removing nitrogen. They also improve habitats so marine wildlife can thrive.

“This complex habitat formation, which the oyster is the building block for, is crucial for species such as juvenile salmonids, sea birds, and even marine mammals,” said Kalina.

Peabody cited numerous partners that made the project possible, including the Navy, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Washington Department of Natural Resources, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Nature Conservancy, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Delta Marine, the Fish America Foundation, the Suquamish Tribe, the Squaxin Island Tribe, the Port of Poulsbo, and Kitsap County.

Peabody noted the significance of receiving help from the Navy, particularly because having use of a barge allows PSRF to transport larger quantities of shell. She said that using a barge makes the entire operation very efficient, even though this year the barge was partially weighed down by ballast water.

“It’s great to get support from the U.S. Navy,” said Peabody. “It’s a huge help.”

Dogfish Bay is an ideal body of water to seed shells into because it has remnant populations of the Olympia oysters, according to Peabody. She also pointed out how the bay has a great larval settlement, meaning that the habitat is ripe for growing the native species.

Commander James Travers, executive officer of Naval Base Kitsap made an appearance at the oyster seeding as well. He personally helped seed oysters into the bay by operating the water-pump for a couple minutes.

“I found the visit to be very educational and enlightening,” said Travers.

He also said that the Navy is proud of its small part in the project, and that the PSRF has “an extremely worthy cause.”

As the last vestige of shells was loaded onto the barge, Peabody expressed her gratitude for the Navy’s involvement with the project.

“They help us out with all our little crises,” said Peabody. “It’s been a great partnership.”