In 2022, DNR planted spat-on-shell using small-scale restoration funds on two bars within the Nanticoke Sanctuary, Hill Shoals and Outer Hole. A total of 20.7 acres were planted with a total of 69.43 million spat-on-shell.
In 2024, DNR announced the Nanticoke River Sanctuary as one of the three sanctuaries to receive the next large-scale restoration. As a result, the initial efforts from 2022 will be expanded upon. This restoration will consist of seed only restoration. Seed plantings towards this effort may start in the 2025 and are expected to be completed in the 2026.
The restoration plan for the Nanticoke River Sanctuary may be found
here.
There are 151 acres planned for seed only restoration (hatchery-produced spat-on-shell added to naturally existing remnant reefs) and 34 acres that are premet (at or exceeding the target restoration density) that do not require initial restoration, for a total of 185 acres of reef area.
Existing Conditions
The sanctuary within the Nanticoke River was established in 2010 and encompasses 16,600 surface acres. The Nanticoke River sanctuary is considered a low salinity region (<12ppt). The mean bottom water dissolved oxygen level within the Nanticoke River is generally above
5 mg/l. These levels are suitable for oyster growth and survival. There is no reported acreage of submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) habitat in the Nanticoke River sanctuary, so no oyster bar acreage coincides with SAV. A portion of the sanctuary is classified as a restricted by the Maryland Department of the Environment (2018) due to potential contamination of shellfish by fecal coliform and other bacteria.
The Coastal Marine Ecological Classification Standards (CMECS) bottom characterization from data collected during the 1970-80’s Bay Bottom Survey and a 2011 side scan sonar survey conducted by Maryland Geological Survey was used to identify areas of historic oyster bars that have substrate other than mud.
Population data from a patent tong survey conducted by the DNR- Shellfish Division in April 2024 was used to understand the pre-restoration population. The average density of live oysters sampled throughout the Nanticoke River was 29.2 ± 3.09 oysters per m2 (mean ± standard error). The density of market size oysters was greater than the density of spat and small size oysters (19.2 ± 2.15, 4.6 ± 0.6 and 5.4 ± 0.61 respectively). Thirty-nine percent of the samples collected had no live oysters.
This and buffer data for aquaculture leases and aids to navigation were used to determine areas that are suitable for restoration, or currently restorable area.
