Role of Shellfish Aquaculture in the Reduction of Eutrophication in an Urban Estuary

Abstract

41Land-based management has reduced nutrient discharges, however, many coastal waterbodies waterbodies without circulation models. The value of removed nitrogen was estimated using

Sustainable Oyster Aquaculture, Water Quality Improvement, and Ecosystem Service Value Potential in Maryland Chesapeake Bay

“…Maryland Chesapeake Bay (this study) 1.78-25 28-457 Great Bay Piscataqua River Estuary (Bricker et al 2020) 0.57-5.27 37-101 Long Island Sound (Bricker et al 2018) 5.96 125 Multinational study* (Rose et al 2015) 1.18-8.70 51-345…”

“…The grower reviewed records of seed and harvest to confirm that the actual mortality was 70%. Model simulations using eight mortalities representing the range observed by all growers (20%-90%) were performed to estimate the potential range of harvest and N removal at this site, as an example of the range that Comparative FARM model estimates of oyster harvest and oyster-related N removal via sequestration into tissue and shell for Chesapeake Bay (this study), Great Bay Piscataqua River Estuary (Bricker et al 2020), and Long Island Sound (Bricker et al 2018).…”

“…An avoided or replacement cost economic analysis was performed to assign an economic value to the estimated N removal. A similar approach was used previously in Potomac River (Bricker et al 2014), in Long Island Sound (Bricker et al 2018), and in Great Bay Piscataqua River Estuary (Bricker et al 2020).…”

“…This approach assumes there is equivalency of N removal services by oysters and by alternative removal methods, that the avoided cost good is the least cost for N removal, and that there is willingness to pay because of the inclusion of parts of Chesapeake Bay on the 303d list for N impairment and the requirement of N load reductions to meet water quality goals (Freeman et al 2014). In this approach, the costs of alternative nutrient management measures (e.g., wastewater treatment plant upgrades, and agricultural and urban stormwater BMPs) are used to represent the potential value of N removed by oysters (e.g., Bricker et al 2018. There continues to be great interest in determining the economic value of oyster-mediated nutrient removal services, given the need for continued nutrient management in most United States coastal waterbodies and worldwide.…”

“…In addition to provision of seafood, oysters are well known for their ability to effectively remove nutrients from the water column through filtration and assimilation of phytoplankton and detritus into tissue and shell (Bricker et al 2014(Bricker et al , 2018(Bricker et al , 2020. Denitrification from sediments associated with cultivation is an additional oyster-related nitrogen (N) removal method (Kellogg et al 2013), but was not considered in this study.…”