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Home , Raritan Bay

Reintroducing the Eastern into one of the Largest Urban Estuaries in the World

National Summit on Coastal & Estuarine Restoration

Beth Ravit, PhD1; Meredith Comi2 1Founder, Co-Director Center for Urban Environmental Sustainability (CUES) Department of Environmental Sciences School of Environmental & Biological Sciences, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 2 NY/NJ Baykeeper November 3, 2014 Urban Oyster Restoration Eastern Oyster (Crassostrea virginica)

Metropolitan Sewerage Commission 1911

Department of Environmental Sciences Urban Oyster Restoration

Raritan Bay current flows

Hudson River – – Inputs

Raritan River Watershed Inputs

Department of Jeffries 1962 Environmental Sciences Urban Oyster Restoration Hudson-Raritan Urban Challenges • Historic Contamination – Heavy Industry, Manufacturing Waste – PCB – DDT, pesticides – Dioxin – Heavy Metals • Land Use Changes – Development of waterfront property – Combined Sewer Systems in older cities – Dams and water control infrastructure – Transportation infrastructure – Excessive Nutrients – Impervious Cover – Filling wetlands Department of Environmental Sciences Urban Oyster Restoration Urban ‘Restoration’ ??? “To Bring Back to an Original State”

Urban Alterations & Fill Materials Stormwater Runoff Altered Surface & Tidal Water Flows Invasive Species Contaminants

Department of Environmental Sciences Urban Oyster Restoration Urban ‘Rehabilitation’ Rehabilitate: "To Restore to Good Health or Useful Life”

1. Where can survive and reproduce today? 2. Where will oyster larvae travel/settle? 3. Where can oyster research & restoration be permitted?? Department of Environmental Sciences

Urban Oyster Restoration Why Oysters?? • Native Species - Eastern Oyster (Crassostrea virginica) • ‘Keystone Species’ – CREATE habitat with vertical reef structure – Water Filtration capacity improves overall water quality – Increase Light Penetration

• Habitat increases species www.chesapeakebay.noaa.gov diversity of fin fish and invertebrate populations • Shoreline Stabilization

Department of Environmental Sciences Urban Oyster Restoration

Hudson-Raritan Estuary Comprehensive Restoration Plan Department of The Port Authority of NY/NJ, USACE, HEP (2009, 2014) Environmental Sciences Employed 4 oyster ‘Restoration’ Criteria Urban Oyster Restoration Research Sites & Research Questions:

1. Where can oysters survive today? 2. Is development normal? 3. If development is abnormal, what is the cause? 4. Effects with oysters present? a. Are they beneficial? 5. What are predictors for successful restoration sites?

Department of Environmental Sciences

Urban Oyster Restoration Raritan Bay (2008-2009) • Water Current, Wave, & Sediment Baseline Data – High energy generated by waves, wind • 70% Survival at original Keyport Reef Raritan Bay site – Oysters ready to spawn (June 2008) – Diverse associated benthic community • 3% Survival at Sayreville Raritan Bay site – No eggs observed (June 2008) – Low Associated Biodiversity • Site survival results replicated in 2009

Department of Environmental Sciences Urban Oyster Restoration

Keyport Harbor Survivorship – 2009-10

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0 Arch - E Arch - S RfBlk - E RfBlk - S RfBall Seed SOS

Department of Environmental Sciences Urban Oyster Restoration Keyport Oyster Mantle and Labial Palp

Mantle: Note Smooth Epithelium Labial Palp: Note CT and Shell Gland Area

Shell Gland & Nerve

Department of Environmental Sciences Ravit et al. 2014 Integrated Environmental Assessment & Management Urban Oyster Restoration Keyport Oyster Digestive Gland (DG) and Female Gonad

DG

Department of Environmental Sciences Gonad with Mature Eggs Ravit et al. 2014 Integrated Environmental Assessment & Management Urban Oyster Restoration Male Keyport Oyster and Digestive Gland Male Sperm

Department of Environmental Sciences Digestive Gland Ravit et al. 2014 Integrated Environmental Assessment & Management Urban Oyster Restoration

Metal (PPM) SHELL SOFT TISSUE Literature Values Reference Hackensack Keyport Hackensack Keyport Shell Soft Tissue Aluminum 43 + 4.7 194 + 47.2 233+ 31 140 + 8 6 - 101 Sadig & Alam 1989 5 - 21 Volety 2008 0.5 Elston et al. 2005 Arsenic 0a 0.6 + 0.06b 2.4 + 0.30 1.5 + 0.01 3 - 43 NOAA 1987 Barium 5.7 + 0.75 7.0 + 0.5 3.2 + 0.27 2.5 + 0.10 <0.7 Sadig & Alam 1989 3 - 16 Frazier 1975 0.7 - 1.4 Volety 2008 2.2 Guzman -Garcia et al. 2009 Cadmium 0 0 4.6 + 0.37o 1.9 + 0.02p 1.8 - 16 Hayes et al. 1998 3 -6 Volety 2008 6 Guzman - Garcia et al. 2009 1 Elston et al. 2005 Chromium 0.3 + 0.04 0.5 + 0.09 3.3 + 0.42 2.2 + 0.25 0.1 - 5 NOAA 1987 Cobalt 0.6 + 0.01 0.8= + 0.07 0.9 + 0.08q 0.3 + 0.00r 50 - 225 Frazier 1975 Metal 500 Frazier 1976 98 - 376 Volety 2008 56 - 212 Hayes et al. 1998 31 Elston et al. 2005 Concentrations Copper 1.5 + 0.10c 2.3 + 0.10d 400 + 31s 60 + 0.3t 160 15 - 1,603 NOAA 1987 Gallium 0.3= + 0.00 0.3 + 0.03 0.2 + 0.02 0.2 + 0.01 200 - 500 Frazier 1975 600 Frazier 1976 & Partitioning Iron 121+ 7e 402 + 56.2f 485 +58u 139 + 3v 19 319 - 628 Volety 2008 0.7 - 1.3 Volety 2008 6 Guzman - Garcia et al. 2009 Lead 1.0 + 0.04 1.2 + 0.16 11.4 + 1.27w 1.8 + 0.02x 1.4 - 15 Hayes et al. 1998 Ravit et al. 2014 Lithium 1.0 + 0.02g 1.8 + 0.13h 0.6 + 0.06y 0.2 + 0.01z Integrated Environmental Assessment & Management Magnesium 1,879 + 7 2,346 + 110 2,843 + 239aa 485 + 13bb 330 - 5 -30 Frazier 1975 520 114 Frazier 1976 Manganese 246 + 0.5 208 + 18.1 33.1 + 3.13cc 7.1 + 0.10dd 505 19 - 25 Volety 2008 0.6 - 1.4 Volety 2008 0.9 Elston et al. 2005 Nickel 4.6 + 0.13 5.0 + 0.3 3.2 + 0.28ee 1.8 + 0.03ff 0.6 - 13 NOAA 1987 Potassium 0 0 2,269 + 213gg 1,234 + 9hh Rubidium 0 0.3 + 0.08 1.2 + 0.14 0.6 + 0.02 1 - 1.8 Volety 2008 0.4 Elston et al. 2005 Selenium 0.1 + 0.14 0.5 + 0.03 3.7 + 0.48 1.7 + 0.23 0.9 - 5.7 NOAA 1987 1.2 - 1.6 Volety 2008 0.5 Elston et al. 2005 Silver 0 0 14.8 + 2.0ii 2.8 + 0.04jj 0.3 - 7 NOAA 1987 Strontium 960+ 1.8i 1,386 + 76j 13.5 + 1.13 12.2 + 0.58 9 - 53 Sadig & Alam 1989 Titanium 1.5 + 0.08 43 + 1.0 8.2 + 0.54kk 17.6 + 0.80ll 0.9 - 3 Sadig & Alam 1989 Uranium 0k 0.1 + 0.01l 0.5 + 0.05mm 0.2 + 0.00nn 2 - 2.5 Akyil & Yusof 2007 0.5 - 1.4 (shell/soft Vanadium 0m 0.8 + 0.14n 1.1 + 0.17oo 0.4 + 0.01pp tissue) Blotcky et al. 1979 1,800- 5,000 Frazier 1975, 1976 1,495 - 5,669 Volety 2008 1,806 - 2,902 Hayes et al. 1998 Department of 478 Elston et al. 2005 Environmental Sciences Zinc 0 0 4,572 + 348qq 1,886 + 51rr 2500 300 - 13,000 NOAA 1987 Urban Oyster Restoration Potential Benefit: Ecosystem Services Raritan Bay Diversity (Keyport Harbor)

Species Latin name Reefblk™ Arch Reef Ball™ Empty Reefblk™ Arch Empty (common name) With Oysters With With Oysters With Without Without Without Oysters Oysters Oysters Oysters Oysters American eel - E Anguilla rostrata 1 2 1 - - 1 - Blue Claw Crab Callinectes sapidus 17 7 8 7 4 2 4 Conger Eel Conger oceanus - 1 - 1 - - - Ctenophore Phylum Ctenophora 50 55 34 20 10 10 15 Grass Shrimp Palaemonetes 156 208 232 66 18 38 41 Hermit Crab Pagurus longicarpus 12 13 22 20 23 15 19 Mud Crab Neopanopeus 11 9 13 2 15 - 4 Mud Snail Ilyanassa obsoleta 159 205 113 48 - 27 103 Oyster Drill Urosalpinx cinerea 1 1 1 - - - - Pipefish Syngnathus fuscus 1 2 2 - - 1 - Spider Crab Libinia emarginata 3 - - 1 3 12 7 Spotfin Butterfly Fish Chaetodon ocellatus - - - - 1 - - Tautog Tautoga onitis - - - - 1 - - Toad Fish Opsanus tau - 1 1 1 - - -

Total Individuals All Species 411 504 427 166 75 106 193 Shannon Diversity E = Considering Score 2.92 2.52 2.82 1.99 2.41 1.85 2.33 Endangered Listing

Ravit et al. 2012 Department of Environmental Practice Environmental Sciences Urban Oyster Restoration

Criteria Rank Criteria Score NY/NJ Baykeeper Water Temperature Neutral Soft clam Live Negative Presence 7 Razor clam Live Neutral Red Seaweed Neutral Phragmities Neutral ‘Citizen Scientist’ Riprap Negative Presence 1 Armored Negative Presence 4 Site Characterization Hard clam Negative Presence 10 Mussel Live Negative Presence 2 Oyster Dead Neutral Presence 5 Ulva Negative Presence 8 • Rutgers Center for Roadway Negative Presence 4 Urban Environmental Substrate Mud Negative Presence 7 Substrate Silt Negative Presence 7 Sustainability (CUES) Mussel Bed Neutral Present at shore Dissolved oxygen Negative Below 4 10 • Rutgers Center for Water Salinity Negative Below 10 8 Remote Sensing & Oyster Drill Negative Presence 3 High Energy Negative Presence 7 Spatial Analysis Substrate Hard Sand Positive Presence 9 (CRSSA) Dissolved oxygen Positive Above 4 8 Water Salinity Positive Above 10 7 Live Oysters Positive Presence 9 Oyster spat Positive Presence 8 Spartina Positive Presence 6 Substrate Gravel Positive Presence 4 Sand Beach Positive Presence 3 Department of Eel Grass Positive Present at shore 5 Environmental Sciences Urban Oyster Restoration 28 Biogeochemical Ranking Criteria

Least Less Neutral Likely Most

Department of http://cues.rutgers.edu/oyster-restoration/ Environmental Sciences Urban Oyster Restoration Potential Oyster Restoration Acreage

NOAA Bathymetry data

Department of http://cues.rutgers.edu/oyster-restoration/ Environmental Sciences Urban Oyster Restoration Proposed Bivalve Reintroduction Model

Potential Oyster Restoration Location R H E Over-Winter Survival Test I Q G U H I R E Physio-chemical Characterization D L O W R Histopathology Analyses A N G E

A Eliminate Site! B N N O O R R M M A A

Expand Restoration Activities! L L Department of Eliminate Site! Environmental Sciences Ravit et al. 2014 Integrated Environmental Assessment & Management Urban Oyster Restoration NY/NJ Baykeeper Aquaculture Center (Atlantic Highlands)

Department of Environmental Sciences Urban Oyster Restoration Naval Weapons Station Earle Research • 90% Overwinter Survival (2011-12) • 11 NJDEP-Permitted Acres

Department of Environmental Sciences Urban Oyster Restoration N Naval Weapons Station Earle E Non-Working Pier

10 9 8 7 6 S H Metal Cage Metal Cage Metal Cage Metal Cage Metal Cage O R E

15 14 13 12 11 L I N Reef Ball Reef Ball Reef Ball E Reef Ball Reef Ball

5 4 3 2 N

W

S Reef Blk ReefBlk ReefBlk ReefBlk ReefBlk E Department of Environmental Sciences Working Pier Urban Oyster Restoration Naval Weapons Station Earle • High Overwinter Survival • Rapid Growth • Heavy Fouling

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15 100

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40 5 20

0 0 6/20/2014 6/30/20140:00 7/10/20140:00 7/20/20140:00 7/30/20140:00 0:008/9/2014 0:008/19/2014 8/29/20140:00 0:009/8/2014 0:009/18/2014 9/28/20140:006/10/2014 0:00 6/30/20140:00 7/20/20140:00 0:008/9/2014 0:008/29/2014 9/18/20140:00 10/8/20140:00 0:00 Sal ppt DO mg/L Year Old SOS_NWSEChl ug/L 2013-14 Department of Environmental Sciences Urban Oyster Restoration Oyster Urban Reintroduction Conclusions & New Research • Site Specific Survival Patterns – High Intertidal Mortality (choose subtidal locations) – Pre-testing to increase potential for reintroduction success • Fitness (Survival & Reproduction) – Site-Specific Fitness Patterns (Histopathology Scores) • Continuing Challenges – Contamination (site-specific) – Eutrophication (excessive fouling) – High Energy – Regulatory Permits (NYDEC, NJDEP) • New Research – Oyster response to specific contaminants – Histopathology – Larval Transport – Predictive Modeling

Department of Environmental Sciences Urban Oyster Restoration Funding & logistic support for Raritan Bay oyster restoration research provided by

Department of Environmental Sciences