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The idea started with an initiative taken by fifteen 7th graders in 2013-14. Through the guidance of Morgan Cuthbert, 7th-grade math/ science teacher, the independent study was launched by tackling the question, "What can we do about local invasive species and their impact on the marine ecosystem?" The European Green Crab was having a huge impact on the population of the soft-shell clam. Since the soft shell clam industry is the third lucrative in the State of Maine, the students decided to take action and gain more data and information.
Through the guidance of Dr. Brian Beal and a collaboration with the Downeast Institute, the students set out a year-long study in the Yarmouth clam flats. During this time the students also started to compete in the Samsung Solve for Tomorrow Contest. In the process, the students end goal was to raise awareness of the impact of an invasive species in their local tidal ecosystem. In the end the students were Finalist in the competition and educated many people through presentations, panels and local media.
Jump to 2016 and the students, now se, along with Mr. Cuthbert decided to take action again. Through a Yarmouth Education Foundation (YEF) Grant, the students purchase an upweller and create a Shellfish Nursery to raise clam seed at their Town Landing. Currently, the clam seeds are growing and feeding in the upweller. The nursery will play a substantial role in the 7th grade science curriculum of tidal ecosystems.
Winter/Spring 2018
The evolution of Mr. Cuthbert's shellfish nursery is in full swing! For those of you who are wondering how Part 1 ended, you'll be happy to know the clams were transplanted into Broad Cove. Mission accomplished!!
Mr. Cuthbert is now introducing oysters and kelp into the mix. Both oysters and kelp are restorative crops, which help to clean the ocean. Here are some fun facts...
Oysters: One oyster can filter up to 50 gallons of water a day. That's some serious cleaning power! Oysters feed from April to November.
Kelp: Kelp grows 2" a day! Yup, 2 inches! Kelp grows from November to April.
June of 2018 field trip the the upweller couldn't have been a more beautiful day for Mr. Cuthbert's class to travel down to the Town Landing to visit the shellfish nursery. Morgan explained to the students how the shellfish nursery works, then had the kids set up the silos and clean the tank. He is prepping for the arrival of 10,000 oyster seeds, which will be coming soon!
After Morgan explained how the shellfish nursery works, he turned it over to Thomas Henninger who farms both oysters and kelp. Thomas explained to the students how the oysters feed inside a holding tank, aptly named an Oyster Gro (this is a new system, developed in Canada).
The oysters will be placed in the black cages and the empty gray tanks keep the cages afloat. The cages will be tied to a rope that is anchored at the bottom of the ocean and the cages will line up in a row, from one buoy to another buoy. Initially, the black cages will be under water, so the oysters can feed on the algae. After about 9 or 10 days, the cage gets fouled with algae, barnacles and mussels. Once this happens, the cages are flipped over, so the gray tanks are under water and the black cages are exposed to the air and sun. It only take a few days for the sun and air to dry everything up, naturally cleaning the cages. The cages are then flipped back over into the water so the oysters can start feeding again.
Around Thanksgiving, when the ocean temperature reaches about 42 degrees, the gray tanks will be filled with water and the cages will sink to the bottom of the ocean for the winter months. Around April, the cages will be pulled back up again, the water will be drained from the gray tanks, and the oysters will start feeding again.
Back to the Summer of 2018
When the 10,000 oysters arrive, Morgan and his team (raising Seniors and other recruits) will take care of the oysters in the shellfish nursery and learn the best conditions for the oysters to grow (water temp, ph level etc). Once the oysters grow to 1/2", half of them will be transferred into the oyster gro and will head out to Casco Bay (around Madeleine Point). The other half will stay in the shellfish nursery for observation.
In two years time, the oysters will hopefully be big enough to sell to chefs in Portland. And, if we are really lucky, maybe Morgan will have an oyster booth at the Clam Fest!
Onto Kelp and the Spring of 2018
The kelp will be created in October through the production of spores on kite string lines. The kelp grows on lines that are connected from buoy to buoy. Morgan and Thomas informed the students that kelp is found in toothpaste, ice cream and many cosmetic products. I'm not sure eating ice cream will ever be the same.
Update on our Sugar Kelp - Thank you Allison Flowerdew
If you enter the 7th grade wing at HMS, you will see that the students have turned into kelp farmers! You won't find them wearing waterproof bib overalls or wellies to keep their feet dry, but they are experts in kelp production, nonetheless. A couple of Mr. Cuthbert's students explained the process of growing kelp in the tanks. Pay close attention, because this is very technical. They first cut out the light spots from the kelp, kept the dark spots (sorus tissue), put it in water, then put those pieces in a tube with string and PRESTO, they've got kelp in a tank! Ok, I think they gave me the short version. My guess is it was a tad more involved, but that's what I got :)!! Either way, kelp is growing in the 7th grade wing and the students know exactly what they are doing, thanks to this hands-on learning experience inside the classroom!
This weekend in December, Mr. Cuthbert, Mr. Henninger, and a few Seniors will remove the kelp from the tanks and put them out on the longlines in Casco Bay. In April, they will harvest the kelp, which they expect to be about 3 meters long. Be on the lookout, kelp could be on the menu at your favorite Yarmouth restaurant in the spring!
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