UNH studies oyster farming
Oysters have made a comeback in Great Bay in recent years — more than 10 oyster farms have opened in the estuary since 2010, raising oysters on about 50 acres. That’s been good news for local shellfish lovers, but it’s also been good news for the bay itself, according to a new study by scientists at the University of New Hampshire.
The study, conducted by zoology research professor Ray Grizzle and others, monitored oysters at six sites in the bay from 2010 to 2013. Their study looked at the role oyster farming plays in removing nitrogen from Great Bay.
“Every oyster that is harvested represents some amount of nitrogen leaving the system,” Grizzle said in a statement. “We’re beginning to quantify nitrogen dynamics and how oyster farms on Great Bay affect it.”
High nitrogen levels in the bay have been an ongoing problem. A study by the NH Water Resources Center at UNH found that as nitrogen levels have increased in the bay, water quality and aquatic life has decreased.
Oysters feed on nitrogen-containing organisms like phytoplankton, which helps keep nitrogen levels down. However, the oyster population in the bay decreased sharply in the 1990s due to disease. While oyster farming won’t completely solve the problem of high nitrogen levels in the bay, Grizzle believes it will make a difference.
“We are now modeling different levels of oyster industry size and how it would affect nitrogen removal. It’s never going to be a huge amount of nitrogen. I suspect it will be below 5 percent of the nitrogen that goes into the estuary, but 5 percent is 5 percent,” he said. Increased oyster farming can also improve natural habitats and filter water.
Popzup expands
It’s only been two months since the Rye-based Popzup Company began selling it’s Popzup Popper, an alternative to bagged microwave popcorn, but in that time, co-owner Marty Lapham says the response from customers has been so strong that the company is already expanding. Formerly based in the Rye General Store, Lapham said the company finalized plans in late February to move to a new space in the Washington Mills in Dover.
“We’re excited to be growing and moving where there are so many like-minded businesses who share our passion about supporting earth-friendly options and a healthy lifestyle,” Lapham said.
The Popzup Popper is a microwave-safe paperboard box that expands as popcorn kernels pop. Lapham and his wife funded initial production of the popper with a Kickstarter campaign in December 2015, and the popper is available throughout the Seacoast.