Box 3: Yeocomico River
| Location: Yeocomico River History of location: Small southern tributary of the Potomac River. Occasional natural spat settlement. Baylor and private productivity mostly maintained by movement of seed from elsewhere. Current status: Low population levels on Baylor Grounds subject to consistent disease (predominantly Dermo) mortality. Freshet impacts are rare. Recent incidence of algal blooms and associated low oxygen events. Cultch condition on Baylor Grounds is relatively good. Two sentinel sites present. Occasional additional data collected as needed. Data held by VMRC. Private lease activity is relatively high. Recent restoration activity (reefs and other) to date: Numerous seed movements and shell plants. Reefs constructed in 1997, 2002, 2004, and 2005. The risk to private oyster production is high because of disease. Restoration potential: Modest because of low spat set and consistent disease risk. |
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