The York River in Virginia is producing oysters that taste just a little bit different.
The York is a tributary of the Chesapeake Bay and the above-average rain that the Bay experienced in 2009 has made York oysters taste like they are from Maryland.
The new taste is attributed to lower saline levels in the river, due to the excess rainwater.
Diseases that affect oysters, such as MSX and Dermo, thrive in high salinity. The more diluted the water is, the less these diseases can affect the oysters, making it easier for the oysters to grow.
While storm-water runoff is a large factor in Chesapeake Bay pollution, the York is unique to other tributaries because it does not drain an urban area.
So, for now, the oyster population is getting a chance to thrive in the York River, even if these soft little molluscs might taste different.
Bay on the Brink is a multimedia reporting project examining the fate of the Chesapeake Bay. It is produced by fellows at the University of Maryland’s Philip Merrill College of Journalism as part of News21, a consortium of journalism schools. This is the fellows' blog. The full project site is here: http://chesapeake.news21.com
