Integrating Information from the Past into Oyster Management

In the United States, the eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) is an economically, culturally, and ecologically important oyster species that ranges from Maine to Texas. Eastern oyster populations are managed by a variety of federal, state, and local governments as well as non-governmental organizations. In addition, the long history of oyster harvesting and coastal land use change in the United States, and asynchronous fluctuations in abundance across the species range due to diverse pressures (e.g., hydrological changes, pollution, disease, overharvesting), combined with often scarce historical monitoring records documenting the timing and magnitude of the changes, have challenged oyster applied professionals for well over a century. The Oysters Past Working Group (OPWG) brings together academic researchers (paleoecologists, archaeologists, and historical ecologists) and applied professionals, representing federal, state, and local government and non-governmental organizations tasked with conserving, managing, and/or restoring oyster populations and habitat. The primary goals of the OPWG are to: 1) identify priority research directions for academic researchers by evaluating the information needs among applied professionals and the types of information from the past that may be able to address them; 2) create a guidance document on best practices for applying information from the past to oyster management; and 3) build trust and commitment to promote longer-lasting and sustained collaboration between academic researchers and applied professionals.