Oyster Gardening Field Data Sheet for Student Groups
Instructions: Use this form to record your group’s oyster garden observations while in the field. The
form is divided in five sections: I) Site Data; II) Oyster growth and mortality; III) Marine Species ID; IV)
Water quality testing; and V) Other Observations. Please complete all questions while in the field.
Each group completes all sections, however, depending on numbers of water quality test kits available
Section IV may be completed by one group only.
Section I. Site Conditions Data
Teacher:
School:
Site Name:
Name of Students in group:
1. Weather conditions on site during trip:
Wind speed (knots):
Temperature (Fahrenheit):
Humidity (%):
Sky conditions - use technical terms e.g., scattered cumulus, high cirrus, mostly sunny, dense fog, low
ceiling, etc:
2. Previous 3 days weather conditions
Be as specific as possible. Note exact amount of rainfall using www.wunderground.com/history
Day -1:
Day -2:
Day -3:
Total rainfall:
3. Tide conditions
Time of monitor:
Today’s high tide (time and level):
Approximate tide level at time of monitor: dead low----med/low-----mid------med/high-----high
4. Water and wave conditions (check all that apply)
Glassy/smooth
Small Chop
Big Chop
Ripples
Small swell
Big swell
5. Composition and color of the water:
Visibility (ft.):__________________
Observed water color:__________________
Oil sheen, marine debris, other forms of pollution observed:
Other observations:
6. Depth and condition of the oyster cage:
Submerged depth of cage (length of fouled line from water surface down to cage):_______________
Fouling of cage: Clean --- Lightly fouled --- Medium Fouling – Heavy Fouling
Damage to cage? (please specify):
7. Land conditions: What does the shoreline look like? Is it well-maintained and clean? Is there litter
or marine debris present on the shoreline? How much and what type? Other observations?
II. Oyster Data
1. Measuring Oyster Growth: Measure at least 50 LIVE oysters in the sample. Keep a tally of dead
oysters as you search through the sample.
Shell length
Shell length
mm
mm
mm
mm
mm
mm
mm
mm
mm
mm
2. Average shell length of
sample: (total/50)
Shell length
mm
mm
mm
mm
mm
mm
mm
mm
mm
mm
Shell length
mm
mm
mm
mm
mm
mm
mm
mm
mm
mm
Minimum shell
length:
Shell length
mm
mm
mm
mm
mm
mm
mm
mm
mm
mm
Maximum
shell length:
3. Oyster Mortality: Count ALL dead oysters in sample. Keep dead oysters in the cage, do not
remove dead oysters from live clumps!
Number of dead oysters:
mm
mm
mm
mm
mm
mm
mm
mm
mm
mm
III. Marine Species Identification (Reef Associates and Predators)
1. Organisms observed: Use the laminated Organism ID card to identify all species found in or
around the oyster garden. Check the boxes that apply or write in actual quantities if possible.
None
1 to 10
10 to 100
100+
Actual Quantity
Barnacles:
Blue mussels:
Ribbed mussels:
Slipper shells:
Sea squirts:
Grass Shrimp:
Mud crabs:
Blue crabs:
Clam/sand worm:
Oyster drills:
Other:
Other:
IV. Water Quality Monitoring
Only the designated water quality test group should conduct water quality testing. Refer to the water
quality test manual for detailed instructions. All results should be recorded in the field except for Fecal
Coliform test, which requires 48 hours to incubate. Record fecal coliform test result in the classroom
two days after your trip.
Reading:
Unit
°C
Water Temperature - conversion formulas:
°C x 9/5 + 32 = °F | (°F - 32) x 5/9 = °C
°F
JTU
Turbidity
Pos./Neg.
Fecal Coliform
Dissolved Oxygen (DO)
Salinity
pH
Nitrates
Phosphates
ppm
ppt
pH
ppm
ppm
V. Other noteworthy observations
What else do you observe in or around your oyster garden? This can include social, biological, or
environmental observations. For example if you see: flocks of birds nearby, school of fish swimming
around oyster garden, the oyster cage is damaged, public visitors asking questions about oyster
gardening - write all of these observations here.
VI. Photo upload (take photos of site, oysters, cage, water quality, etc.)