Neel Mehta
The Norfolk Ship Repair team at BAE Systems is continuing work on a program to help restore the oyster population in the Elizabeth River in Norfolk, Va.
BAE built an oyster reef several years ago and is now raising juvenile oysters in floating cages located throughout the river, the company announced Tuesday.
The company has mentored two other local ship repair companies on how to raise oysters.
BAE says the juveniles could grow from pinhead size to up to 3 inches in diameter in the nine-to-12 months they are kept in the cages.
Adult-sized oysters will transplanted onto the reef and a new batch of spat will then enter the cages, the company said.
