A century ago, the oyster reined supreme in Delaware Bay.
Hundreds of schooners plied the bay, dredging the oyster beds
for the savory “Delaware salts” that were shipped by
refrigerated railroad car to restaurants and stores across the
nation. The popular shellfish sustained an important industry
until the late 1950s when disease rapidly decimated the oyster
population, which has never recovered. Patrick Gaffney, a marine
biologist at the University of Delaware, has been working with a
regional team of scientists to help give oysters a fighting
chance against disease. On Tuesday, January 22, from noon to 1
p.m. at the Hotel du Pont in Wilmington, he will provide a
closer look at the oyster, the fishery’s history in our region,
and the status of current restoration efforts in his
presentation, “Atlantic Oyster Fisheries in the 21st Century.”
The lecture, which includes lunch, is sponsored by the UD
Graduate College of Marine Studies and the Sea Grant College
Program. The event costs $10 per person, and advance