Cleaning up the Inner Harbor – Nature’s Way

 

Winthrop resident Dick Lawton and the Massachusetts Oyster Project will be placing clean oyster shells at three locations on the flats of Winthrop’s inner harbor this Saturday (June 7) at noon.

Local youths are being encouraged to participate in the project.

Lawton said that one of the chief benefits of placing the oyster shells is that each oyster purifies “anywhere from 30 to 50 gallons of water per day.”

Lawton, chairman of the Winthrop Harbor Management Committee, explained the project to the Conservation Commission and Town Council in separate meetings and both boards were receptive to the plan.

“We’ll be placing dry oyster shells at low tide at three different Winthrop locations: Donovan’s Beach, Court Road Public Access, and immediately east of the Cottage Park Yacht Club,” said Lawton. “[Mass. Oyster Project board member] Dr. Andrew Jay and I have already surveyed the areas and we saw where there are some oysters already beginning to propagate.”

Lawton said that local boy scouts and girl scouts will be participating in the project. He has met with Supt. of Schools John Macero to discuss the educational aspect of the project.

The group will be placing empty oyster shells in the flats. “The oyster locates the shell and attaches to it and additional oysters grow,” said Lawton.

Lawton said that one Winthrop student will be hired by the Mass. Oyster Project to monitor the progress of the project and report on it. He said participation in the project could set the foundation for a student seeking to study marine biology or aquaculture in college.

“Dr. Annamarija Frankic, a professor at UMass/Boston, is also very supportive of the project,” said Lawton.

Lawton said anyone interested in participating in the project should arrive at approximately 10:30 a.m. at the locations.