The Virginia Oyster Shell Recycling Program (VOSRP) has a large footprint that extends well beyond their home base at VCU Rice Rivers Center. VOSRP’s outreach engages volunteers from central Virginia, Tidewater, Middle Peninsula, Northern Neck and Charlottesville to join in their mission to recycle, restore, and replenish oyster populations in the Chesapeake Bay. Many volunteers – including VCU faculty, staff and students – have participated in shell bagging at the center and spat-on-shell planting at Gywnn’s Island, and spaces are often full hours after they are announced.

The 2023-2024 season has just completed, and the numbers are in: just shy of 40,000 pounds of bagged shell moved from Rice Rivers Center and Charlottesville’s Rivanna Solid Waste Authority to Gywnn’s Island to prepare for spat-on-shell planting; 32 million larvae were added to the oyster tanks to settle on shell; and thousands of shells “planted” in the Piankatank River. Prior to returning the shells to the water during the second week of planting, volunteers counted spat on different sources of shell, With the help of VCU School of Engineering researchers, the various sources of shells are being analyzed and spat -set counted to help determine the relationship between strike on various types of substrate. 

It all begins with VOSRP participating restaurants and retailers, where the majority of shell is gathered from. The end result is the shells return to water, where the Piankatank River empties into the Bay. This summer’s weeks of planting were filled with torrential downpours, sweltering heat, high humidity and sometimes, rough water, but all who came to Gywnn’s Island brought their enthusiasm and good humor.  While VOSRP often highlights the groups that come to volunteer, we would like to recognize the VOSRP team who worked to make the volunteer’s experience educational and enjoyable.

The VOSRP is led by Director Todd Janeski and Program Coordinator/Master Naturalist Cindy Andrews. Rounding out the team are: Brycen Boettcher, Rice Rivers Center fisheries technician and boat driver extraordinaire; Stephen Kaliris, Rice Rivers Center fish lab technician and Joey Caro, VOSRP undergrad summer intern. This summer, the VOSRP also had help from Dave Norman, restoration coordinator; Jerry Andrews, master oyster gardener and master naturalist; and Tom Worley, local volunteer and on-site resource. The partnership is because of the generosity of our donors and partners such as J&W Seafood, 3 Hands Oyster Company and Oyster Seed Holdings.

Shell bagging events at Rice Rivers Center begin again this fall.  Follow them on Facebook to see all event notices.