b'Community Aquaculture:CHATHAM, ORLEANS, BREWSTER AND AMERICORPS MAKE A NEW NURSERY! In June of 2018, PBCB joined the Cape Cod aquaculture boom and began to grow oysters and quahogs in a used upweller. Shellfishaquaculture on Cape Cod (and beyond) is considered a win-win-win solution for the natural environment, fishermen, and the consuming public because it: Replenishes dwindling nutrients harnesses the oysters fisheries stocksfresh seawater, rich in naturalnatural process of incorporatingSupports new workforcephytoplankton, provides a constantnitrogen and other substances into opportunities fordiet that allows the seed, (akaits meat and shell. skilled fishermen and spat), to grow. And they do grow! Last year PBCB was given the young families When youre around an energetictiny seed from Orleans (quahogs)Removes significant shellfish aquaculturist like Racheland Brewster (oysters) to stock nutrients from the eutrophicHutchinson (Town of Chathamthe upweller. In less than a liter of inland embayments Propagation Specialist), you cantsaltwater there were approximatelyProduces high-quality help but catch the enthusiasm and150,000 babies. But where protein-rich foodmarvel at the many creative does the seed or spat come For all of these reasons, and solutions that go into designingfrom? Every year, baby quahog because of our phenomenal and operating a successfuland oyster larvae are carefully waterfront site, PBCB was eager toaquaculture farm. Rachelcultivated at a hatchery in Dennis use the upweller as a centerpiece to provided the spark for Pleasantby ARC (Aquaculture Research provide an educational experienceBay Community Boating to buildCorporation). When the seed is six and broader life-lessons. It fits oura system in our boathouse andweeks old, it can be shipped out. mission to a T! recruited people to help, includingBuilding on the success of thevolunteer Dan Campanaro, aupwellers first year, PBCB plans to What exactly is an upweller? Its askilled builder, the Towns ofuse it as an educational tool.system used to grow shellfish, likeChatham, Brewster and Orleans, Classes will focus on how Pleasant an incubator. an Americorps member, and many Bay is a natural nursery for many of volunteers as well as Friends ofthe living creatures that areUpweller Nursery Pleasant Bay and Orleans Pond Silo Coalition were also drawn into thecommercially fished in our area.Inflow cast of characters. The preservation of the naturalOutflow ecosystems along our coastsUpwelling PBCBs upweller has a history continues their supplies of foodsWater Flow that illustrates collaborative for fish and shellfish. Raising and approaches to problem-solving. harvesting oysters and quahogs ShellfishThe tank and equipment, commercially can be a reasonable Seed Nytex Screening originally built by Dale Leavitt way to make a decent living on (Associate Professor of Biology,Cape Cod and, when done well, Roger Williams University) and actually helps our naturalWhat does our upweller look like?Sandy Macfarlaine (former environment.It is a large 3 x 12-foot tank set upNatural Resources Director,with a pump system that bringsOrleans), was funded in 2002 infresh flowing seawater from part by the Friends of Pleasant Bay Pleasant Bay in and sends it backto raise oysters in a pilot program out to Pleasant Bay. Eight silosdesigned to use shellfish to clean with mesh on the bottom sit insidewater of excess nutrients. The the tank where baby shellfish,Orleans Pond Coalition maintained 2 to 4mm in size to start, canthe seed oysters at the upwellers safely grow and thrive withoutoriginal site, in Areys Pond. This being eaten by predators. Theearly pilot to remove excess'