Growing Quahaugs for Healthy Ponds and Bodies
For the next few months, the quahaugs will float on a sandy bed above the pond bottom.
For the next few months, the quahaugs will float on a sandy bed above the pond bottom.
Assistant shellfish constable Fred Benson helms the boat.
Assistant shellfish constable Fred Benson helms the boat.
Hard to believe 75,000 quahaug babies fit in a baggie.
Hard to believe 75,000 quahaug babies fit in a baggie.
“If there wasn’t any stock enhancement there would be no shellfish on the Island,” Danielle Ewart said.
“If there wasn’t any stock enhancement there would be no shellfish on the Island,” Danielle Ewart said.
Easy to see why they are called seed.
Easy to see why they are called seed.
Sprinkling seed quahaugs, a few thousand at a time, into custom-built floating crates submerged in the pond.
Sprinkling seed quahaugs, a few thousand at a time, into custom-built floating crates submerged in the pond.
From little seed, big quahaugs grow.
From little seed, big quahaugs grow.
Quahaug seed began their journey with the Martha's Vineyard Shellfish Group.
Quahaug seed began their journey with the Martha's Vineyard Shellfish Group.
Scallop cages also float on the Tisbury side of the Lagoon, as part of eelgrass restoration project.
Scallop cages also float on the Tisbury side of the Lagoon, as part of eelgrass restoration project.
Fruit of the sea.
Fruit of the sea.
Bushels of clams raked from the bottom of the pond.
Bushels of clams raked from the bottom of the pond.
The seed quahaugs are poppy seed-sized versions of what they look like when full grown. The shells are purple striped, and the quahaugs have a tiny foot for movement. Once they have grown to about the size of a thumbnail they will be moved to the west arm of the pond to continue to grow.