Severn River Marylanders Grow Oysters

Severn River Association administers the largest Marylanders Grow Oysters (MGO) program in the state. We aim to plant millions of oysters on sanctuary reefs every year, and the MGO program uses volunteers to grow oysters on their pier. In the fall each volunteer will receive oyster spat-on-shell and cages to grow in a protected way for the critical first year of life. In the summer, the volunteer growers will deliver their year-olds to the MGO reef to plant their oysters. If you would like to participate, please email Mollie@severnriver.org

MGO Program Highlights:

Autumn – Hang your oyster cages off a private or community pier deep enough to so that the spat are under water even during the super low tides following winter storms.

September-May – Visit your oysters every other week to tend the cages, controlling their depth by season, and shaking them and/or hosing them down to ensure the free flow of water to bring food to your spat.

June – Deliver your year-old oysters to the designated reef for planting.

Summer – clean your cages and prepare for the arrival of new spat-on-shell in September. Check out this video for a simple cleaning technique, click here.

MGO Handbook

Map of Severn River MGO growers!