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The Cape Shore Laboratory is located on the shore of Delaware Bay, in Green Creek in Cape May County, approximately ten miles from Cape May, NJ. Laboratory facilities at the site include two hatcheries with 3000 sq. ft. of quarantine hatchery space plus 3200 sq. ft. of office, dry lab, and classroom space. Culture systems include a 22,000 gallon land-based nursery and a 50,000 gallon quarantine holding system for non-native oyster species.
The later addition of a 6,000 gallon reservoir for holding high salinity water has further expanded culturing capabilities to include high salinity species. The site also includes 7 acres of intertidal flats located in front of the laboratory which is used for field grow out of the shellfish progeny groups generated by our long-standing and continuing program in shellfish genetics and breeding. A 5-bedroom, 2-bath, 10-bed on-site dormitory was completed in January 1998, and provides housing for laboratory technicians, students, and visiting researchers.
Current research work at the site includes; continuation of our selective breeding program to produce fast-growing MSX, Dermo and JOD resistant Eastern oysters (Crassostrea virginica); production of triploid, tetraploid, and other genetic constructs of Eastern (C. virginica) and Suminoe (C. ariakensis) oysters used for genomic studies; and, production of cultchless Eastern oysters used in restoration efforts and also by mid-Atlantic and Northeastern aquaculture groups.