Over the course of four to eight weeks, these animals develop mature gametes, or eggs and sperm, in preparation for spawning. In the spring, the parent oysters stored in these tanks are ‘fooled’ into thinking that it is early spring by increasing the temperature of the water and feeding the oysters large quantities of algae.
The broodstock room in any standard hatchery holds specific stocks of oysters in temperature-controlled tanks. The algal ration for each tank in the hatchery is calculated on a daily basis, and the total volume and proportion of each algal species that they receive is adjusted as the oysters grow and their nutritional needs change. By providing all of the components needed for photosynthesis, this lab creates the perfect conditions for algal cultures to grow continuously year-round. Algae cultures are raised using batch procedures, so as they continue to grow and increase in density, they are progressively transferred from small flasks to 10-liter carboys to 200-liter kalwall tubes. At the heart of these operations is the algal-culture lab, where four strains of unicellular algae are cultured to feed larvae, recently set oyster seed (or spat), and broodstock, the parent animals used for spawning. The Gloucester Point oyster hatchery has all of the standard capabilities of any bivalve hatchery. Hatchery personnel regularly pump this water into their storage and filtration system, where most living organisms are first filtered out before being used for culture operations inside the hatchery. This building’s proximity to ‘the Point,’ one of the narrowest sections of the York River, gives it easy access to rapidly-flowing, well-mixed river water. It is one of the most visited facilities on the VIMS campus. Today, the Gloucester Point hatchery houses ABC’s diploid breeding work and research, their outdoor nursery system, and a variety of experimental cultures and sampling activities. ABC researchers have continually refurbished this space and its operating procedures to better display its role in oyster genetics and breeding, reflect current industry practices, and maintain consistent production each year. The oyster hatchery at VIMS’ main campus has served as the central home for much of ABC’s breeding work since the 1998 spawning season.
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