(Crabs that we found while taking inventory of the oysters.)

 

(Me holding a crab that we found in one of the oyster cages.)

 

(Our group at the dock taking inventory of the oysters.)

 

(Indoor tanks for the Billion Oyster project.)

 

On December 5th, 2016, my group visited the Billion Oyster Project. This organization it trying to restore the Hudson River. They are planning to do so by putting oysters into the Hudson River. This organization is creating oyster reefs throughout the river. The reason that they are using oysters is because oysters are filter feeders. This means that they filter the water to get their food. One fully grown oyster can filter up to 50 gallons of water a day. So it is easy to see why it is a good idea to use oysters to filter the river. During our tour, our guide showed us through their facilities. After that, we went to the dock to take an inventory. During this time we pulled out oyster cages in the water. We took out the oysters and marked how many dead ones there were and how many alive ones there were. We also marked down any other animals that we found. Such as crabs, fish, and sea bugs. This tour was very informative and showed our group how animals can be used to make a difference in the water.