Community Plants One Million Baby Oysters In Breton Bay

Volunteers load bushels of spat-on-shell onto boats at Abell’s Wharf on Sept. 13 as part of the fourth annual Breton Bay Oyster Planting, which achieved the goal of adding one million oysters to the sanctuary.
Photo Credit – St. Mary’s River Watershed Association

LEONARDTOWN, Md. — Volunteers gathered at Abell’s Wharf on Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025, for the fourth annual Breton Bay Oyster Planting, a community effort to restore oyster populations in local waters. By the end of the day, about one million oysters had been planted in the Breton Bay Oyster Sanctuary.

Organizers said approximately 200 bushels of spat-on-shell — baby oysters attached to shells — were delivered to the sanctuary at Lover’s Point. The goal of planting one million oysters was met, according to Emma Green Ewing, executive director of the St. Mary’s River Watershed Association.

“51 people were in attendance, the goal was met, and we were so happy with the turn out!” Green Ewing said. “One notable announcement was that we found evidence of oyster reproduction on the site again (the last time we found reproduction was in 2023)! We put spat traps out each year off of Lover’s Point, and when we pulled them up earlier this month, we found one living spat! While it may not sound like much, reproduction in Breton Bay is crucial for successful restoration.

Credit – St. Mary’s River Watershed Association

“The number of people who have shown up year after year shows that the community wants investment in Breton Bay. They are willing to come out on a Saturday morning, get dirty, and work hard.”

“Our Million Oyster Day brings in new volunteers who are learning for the first time about the amazing benefits of oyster reefs and discovering that there are ways they can help with their restoration,” said Liz Curtz of Friends of St. Clements Bay.

“We also have volunteers who raise oysters at their docks in cages. Once they’re about nine months old they will have grown from pinhead size to one or two inches, big enough to resist predators and ready to be added to the reef,” Curtz said. “On Saturday, Oct. 11, we’ll be distributing bags of spat to these oyster gardeners.”

“Thanks to St. Mary’s County Recreation and Parks, visitors to Abell’s Wharf will now have a chance to learn about oyster restoration year round,” Curtz added. “The St. Mary’s County Recreation & Parks crew installed a new interpretive sign this week that tells the story. It was funded by the Chesapeake Bay Trust and designed by Friends of St. Clements Bay.”

Photo courtesy of Friends of St. Clements Bay

Breton Bay was designated an oyster sanctuary by the State of Maryland in 2010, closing it to commercial harvesting so oysters can recover. Community planting efforts since 2017 have added more than 5 million oysters to the bay, supporting cleaner water, habitat and a healthier ecosystem.

To find out more about the project and learn how to get involved, contact Liz Curtz at curtzeli@gmail.com, or Emma Green Ewing at emmaSMRWA@gmail.com.