Oyster stocks have plunged in the Chesapeake. This resident wants to bring them back

Oyster reefs once abounded in the Chesapeake, but overharvesting slashed their populations, leading to poorer water quality and less habitat for other species. Now, researchers and local residents are finding creative ways to bring their numbers back up.

<img src='https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/5712x4284+0+0/resize/5712x4284!/quality/85/format/webp/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F86%2F04%2F8333853a449bb882ebc1eb32479f%2Fimg-7208.jpg' alt='John Consoli marvels at oysters. "I think I'm more enthusiastic about something that's like a rock than anybody else could possibly be," he says.'/><p>Oyster reefs once abounded in the Chesapeake, but overharvesting slashed their populations, leading to poorer water quality and less habitat for other species. Now, researchers and local residents are finding creative ways to bring their numbers back up. </p><p>(Image credit: Ari Daniel)</p><img src='https://media.npr.org/include/images/tracking/npr-rss-pixel.png?story=nx-s1-6011228' />