Virginia Oyster Gardening Guide
The Virginia Oyster Gardening Guide was produced by the Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program in partnership with VIMS, Virginia CBF, TOGA, VMRC, Oyster Reef Keepers, NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office and the VORHF
Download the entire guide - pdf
Have you heard that the Virginia Oyster Gardening Guide has been translated into Japanese? Read the story...
Virginia Oyster Gardening Guide Sections
Introduction - How to Start and Maintain an Oyster Garden - pdf
Step One: Evaluate the Site - pdf
Step Two: Choose a Growing Strategy - pdf
Step Three: Choose a Containment System - pdf
Step Four: Get a Permit - pdf
Downloadable "Oyster Gardening" Permit Application - pdf
Step Five: Purchase Supplies - pdf 
Step Six: Set Up and Maintain the Garden - pdf
Step Seven: Harvest Time! - pdf
Oyster Diseases and Research - Reference A - pdf
Animals of the Oyster Garden - Reference B - pdf
Oyster Gardening web sites and Contacts (Reference C pdf )
Web Resources
Oyster Gardening Sites:
Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS)
Chesapeake Bay Foundation (site includes list of oyster gardening suppliers)
Tidewater Oyster Gardening (site includes list of oyster gardening suppliers)
Oyster Restoration:
The Virginia Oyster Reef Restoration Map Atlas
Chesapeake Bay Program (includes info on oyster reef ecosystems)
Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) Oyster Monitoring Program
Oyster Reef Ecosystems:
Oyster Reef Communities in the Chesapeake Bay - CD-Rom
Smithsonian Marine Station at Fort Pierce (info on oyster reef ecosystems)
Teacher Resources:
Oyster Reef Keepers (teacher resources - see contact under 'School Oyster Gardening" below)
Sea Grant Ocean Sciences Education/Bridge (teacher resources - information and lesson plans for grades 5 -12)
VORTEX: Virginia’s Oyster Reef Teaching Experience
Oyster Anatomy:
Oyster Anatomy Laboratory (Maryland Sea Grant)
Bivalve Anatomy (illustration of oyster anatomy - The Assateague Naturalist)
Oyster Diseases:
VIMS - Oyster Disease Information
Oyster Disease Fact Sheet pdf
Dermo page
MSX page
VIMS Aquaculture Genetics and Breeding Technology Center (Oyster Disease Information and Research)
Virginia Aquaculture:
Virginia Aquaculture Association
Eating Oysters:
Virginia Marine Products Board (Great Recipes!)
How to prepare and open oysters
Oyster Gardening Contacts
Permit Information:
Virginia Marine Resources Commission (VMRC)
Habitat Management Division
Chip Neikirk
(757) 247-2200
chip.neikirk@mrc.virginia.gov
Conservation and Replenishment
James Wesson
(757) 247-2121
jim.wesson@mrc.virginia.gov
Water Quality Information: 
Virginia Department of Health (VDOH)
Division of Shellfish Sanitation
Robert Croonenberghs
(804) 864-7477
bob.croonenberghs@vdh.virginia.gov
Accomac Field Office:
Paul Widgen (757) 787-5847
paul.widgen@vdh.virginia.gov
Norfolk Field Office:
Timothy Fearington (757) 683-5847
tim.fearington@vdh.virginia.gov
Whitestone Field Office:
Carroll Vanlandingham (804) 435-1095
carroll.vanland@vdh.virginia.gov
Virginia Department of Environmental Quality
Water Quality Monitoring Data
Roger Stewart (804) 698-4449,
Roger.Stewart@deq.virginia.gov
Aquaculture Information:
Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS)
Aquaculture and Marine Resources
T. Robbins Buck (804) 371-6094
robins.buck@vdacs.virginia.gov
Virginia Marine Resource Commission (VMRC)
Saltwater Aquaculture
Lewis Gillingham (757) 247 -2243 2200
lewis.gillingham@mrc.virginia.gov
Extension Support:
The Virginia Oyster Gardening Manual Is Now Available in Japanese!
After discovering wild oysters in Tokyo Bay, Urara Takashima, a researcher with the Zoological Society of Japan, corresponded with the Virginia CZM Program, and then visited Virginia last spring to learn more about the state’s oyster reef restoration efforts and gardening practices.
While she was here, Ms. Takashima attended a meeting of the Tidewater Oyster Gardeners and picked up a few copies of the Virginia Oyster Gardening Guide. Soon after Ms. Takashima returned to Japan, the Virginia CZM Program received an e-mail. It was from Katsunori Tanaka, the "secretary-general" of the Japanese non profit, “The executive to think about hometown Tokyo”. Mr. Tanaka wanted to translate the Virginia Oyster Gardening Guide into Japanese. His organization is conducting environmental programs to improve Toyko Bay, including growing
oysters, clam, and seaweed.
The Virginia CZM Program now has a copy of the translation in hand!
The story does not end here. Go to
Where In the World Is Omar? to read more!
Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS)
Sea Grant Advisory Services
Michael Oesterling, (804) 684-7165
mike@vims.edu
Oyster Gardening Organizations:
Chesapeake Bay Foundation in Virginia
(804) 780-1392
Virginia CBF Oyster Gardening Program
Chris Moore (757) 622-1964
cmoore@cbf.org
Tidewater Oyster Gardeners Association
Jackie Partin (804) 694-4407
hellneck@earthlink.net
Northern Neck Oyster Gardeners
Don Beard (804) 438-4820
Lynnhaven 2007
Cliff Love (757) 481-6449
oystercom@hotmail.com
School Oyster Gardening:
Oyster Reef Keepers
Laurie Carroll Sorabella, (757) 460-1200,
oysterreefkeeper@yahoo.com
