Description: <DIV STYLE="text-align:Left;"><DIV><DIV><P><SPAN>This shapefile was generated by the Virginia Marine Resources Commission (VMRC). VMRC is responsible for siting, surveying, and creating oyster reef restoration sites in the Virginia portion of the Chesapeake Bay. GPS locations are taken on site using a combination of GPS and navigational equipment. Generally three to four sites delineate the outer edge of the reef (or proposed reef) site. These data are converted into shape files which contain polygons depicting reef boundaries. </SPAN></P><P><SPAN>This feature layer also contains data used by the Virginia Oyster Stock Assessment and Replenishment Archive (VOSARA) data web tool. This data contains graphic summaries of the status of oyster stocks in the Virginia subestuaries of the Chesapeake Bay. Data originates in annual stock assessments performed by a collaboration between the Virginia Marine Resources Commission (VMRC) and the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS). Summaries provide data by year and historical reef boundaries within each of the described subestuaries. Oyster populations are described in units of density, oysters per unit area, for each of three size classes: spat are young of the year, small are submarket size (< 76mm length), and market size (> 76mm length) oysters.</SPAN></P></DIV></DIV></DIV>
Copyright Text: Virginia Marine Resources Commission, Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS)