Oysters for the Ecosystem

Zoe Morris

If you have ever driven through Carlsbad, you have most likely seen the baskets and equipment in the lagoon. For years I wondered what all the equipment and workers were for. After some research, I found that it is in fact, an oyster farm! Exciting, I know. But there is more to the Carlsbad Aquafarm than it seems.

The millions of oysters and mussels in the lagoon are actually amazing for the lagoons environment, which positively effects us. Not only can you eat delicious oysters and mussels at the restaurant there, you can also go on an Aquafarm tour and learn more about how the oysters and mussels help the ecosystem.

Oysters and mussels naturally filter the water they are put in. By putting them in the Carlsbad lagoon, filled with 500 million gallons of water, they are getting rid of all the grime, and unnecessary bacteria, thus creating a healthier lagoon. Oysters can filter up to 50 gallons of water a day, multiply that by the millions of oysters in the lagoon, and your good to go!

Because of the oysters filtering the water, eelgrass is able to grow in the lagoon, which is food for lots of other creatures in the water.

Pelicans are also contributors to this complex ecosystem. The pelicans swoop down and eat fish from the lagoon that eat the oysters, doing this prevents the oysters from completely disappearing, thus creating this balanced community of living creatures.

So, if your are interested in learning more about the oysters and how they effect the ecosystem, you can go on a tour at the Carlsbad Oyster Farm. There you can learn how to shuck oysters and mussels, and eat amazing sea food. They also sell their food at local stores and markets, you can also order ahead and pick the food up at the farm.

To book a tour or learn more about the oyster farm, you can check out their website.

Sources:

CBS8

Carlsbad Oyster Farm