The Oldest Oyster

The written history of the colonization of the U.S. tells the tale of Henry Hudson, first landing on what is now the island of Manhattan in 1609 and being greeted by the Lenape. This Native American tribe lived off the thriving ecosystem of present-day New York Harbor. One major factor in the health of the ecosystem at this time was the oyster. The Lenape explained how the oysters grew - old shells were the fertile base for young oysters to grow, forming long winding connected piles called beds. At the base of the beds rested giant oysters who the Lenape thought to be the mothers of all of the baby oysters. Hudson exaggeratedly reported foot-long oysters in the Harbor. In actuality, they were 9 - 10 in. long just like the one discovered this past summer. The article below highlights the discovery of this prized giant oyster, and suggests that the ecosystem of the New York Harbor is making strides towards being healthy and that with an increased presence of the oyster it will only get stronger and stronger.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/02/nyregion/biggest-oyster-new-york-city-harbor.html?action=click&module=RelatedCoverage&pgtype=Article&region=Footer&fbclid=IwAR06LWJ0HMwzjCb7mq93772qfLGiD0o93a4m1iADoQUEsQkd2QxzhYKEg4E