Introduction: The native oyster population of the Navesink and Shrewsbury estuary was a key component to the environment, biological health of the waterways and important economic component of the regions early development. The loss of this key element of the healthy estuary ecosystem has negatively impacted the environment through the absence of the oysters filtering capabilities and habitat development from oyster reefs and a healthy and thriving oyster population. The proposed reintroduction of the native oyster population to the Navesink and Shrewsbury estuary where the species is a basically extinct due to overharvesting, poor resource management and pollution will result in improved water quality, biodiversity and the overall environment …show more content…
(Karr, R. 2013) These oysters were an integral resource as the area was settled and the population grew. Navesink Oysters in particular became famed for their quality and became a major food a source of for a growing New York City. This harvesting along with conventional farming became the foundations of the early economies of the Navesink/Shrewsbury peninsula and in fact many streets were paved with oyster shells. (History of the …show more content…
Historically, the first threat to the oyster was simple over harvesting and poor resource management. Oysters are somewhat unique in that they require an existing colony or reef of shells to propagate and reproduce. When oysters where harvested their shells were removed from the estuary and never returned causing disruption to the natural life cycle of the oyster. More recently oyster reefs were furthered destroyed during as the result of dredging to create channels, remove navigation hazards, build bulkheads and shorelines. This removal of habitat was further compounded by increased pollution, changes in water salinity, agricultural run off, silting of traditional habitats and overall poor water quality that further depleted oyster populations and drove the local Navesink/Shrewsbury oyster to point of extinction. (Comey, M.