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Oyster drill invades shell and kills oyster |
Oyster drills are invasive snails that are killing oysters at an increasing rate with no effective control measure. Sylvester’s research is looking for ways to alter the drill’s reproductive cycle and reduce their numbers. The project will take place from Feb. 16 to June 30, 2010.
Since their introduction in the late 1920s, Japanese and Eastern oyster drills have established themselves in all Washington shellfish-growing areas. Oyster drills are predatory, non-native, parasitic snails that feed on young oysters by drilling a hole in the oyster’s shell and eating the meat. These drills do not move very far by themselves. They can be transported on shells of other oysters and consume up to three oysters each per week.
“Oyster drills are one of the worst enemies of oysters,” said Sylvester. “They create serious problems for commercial and recreational shell fishing. Oyster drills can occur in great numbers with a rapid rate of reproduction and (can) potentially wipe out entire oyster beds.”
The state of Washington is responsible for 86 percent of the oyster production on the West Coast, which accounts for one-sixth of the nation’s oysters. The oyster industry contributes $111 million in annual revenue to the Pacific Northwest.
“This research has a direct impact on regional and local economies. A low production of oysters reduces taxes due to lost jobs from fishermen and farmers to restaurateurs and retailers. It creates a cascading economic shift in local and national markets,” said Sylvester.
Sunny Bell, an undergraduate research student for Sylvester, was the first person to determine the sex of live Japanese oyster drills. This breakthrough will allow Sylvester’s research to look for “weak links” in their life-cycles by timing the egg-laying cycle, which is typically from April to July. The ultimate goal is to control the proliferation of the oyster drills.
Currently, the only known control measures are to manually scrape oyster drill eggs from oyster shells or stop the transfer of items or organisms from areas where oyster drills are known to live.
