Oysters 101 Quiz
Test your North Carolina oyster knowledge with this fun and informative quiz. You must answer 8/10 questions correctly for your business or organization to be eligible for NC Oyster Trail Membership.
Test your North Carolina oyster knowledge with this fun and informative quiz. You must answer 8/10 questions correctly for your business or organization to be eligible for NC Oyster Trail Membership.
1. Which oyster species is native to North Carolina?
Eastern oyster
Pacific oyster
Kumamoto oyster
European flat oyster
Olympia oyster
2. What causes differences in how oysters taste?
Whether it is a male or female
Characteristics of the waterbody the oyster lives in (for example: salinity, oyster food sources)
Whether or not it has a pearl in it
How an oyster tastes is influenced by the body of water it comes from, the algae it feeds on, the strength of currents and tides, the mineral content of the seafloor, rainfall, temperature, season and more.
How an oyster tastes is influenced by the body of water it comes from, the algae it feeds on, the strength of currents and tides, the mineral content of the seafloor, rainfall, temperature, season and more.
3. Though there is one species of oyster that grows in North Carolina, the Eastern oyster can take on a wide variety of flavors. What is the term that refers to how local environmental conditions influence the oyster’s flavor profile?
Terroir
Waterbody characteristics
Taste categories
Merroir
Vibes
Perhaps you’ve heard of terroir – the combination of soil, climate and other environmental factors that give wine grapes their distinctive character. Similarly, oysters have merroir representative of the waters they grow in.
Oysters have unique regional flavors that stem from subtle differences in local conditions. For example, oysters grown near inlets and open ocean waters will taste saltier than those grown closer to fresh water.
In French, the word mer means sea, and so the term merroir has been adopted to describe a sense of terroir for oysters.
Perhaps you’ve heard of terroir – the combination of soil, climate and other environmental factors that give wine grapes their distinctive character. Similarly, oysters have merroir representative of the waters they grow in.
Oysters have unique regional flavors that stem from subtle differences in local conditions. For example, oysters grown near inlets and open ocean waters will taste saltier than those grown closer to fresh water.
In French, the word mer means sea, and so the term merroir has been adopted to describe a sense of terroir for oysters.
4. More oysters in the water (both wild and farmed) contribute to a healthy coast. What are environmental benefits to having oysters in the water?
Fish (oyster reefs serve as habitat for finfish, crustaceans, and plants - as many as 300 different species)
Filtering capacity (one adult oyster is capable of filtering up to 50 gallons of water a day, improving water quality)
Food (oysters serve as a food source for animals and humans alike)
All of the above
Oysters provide many benefits to marine and aquatic ecosystems. They act as a food source for both animals and people, they improve water quality by filtering water, and they act as habitat for a variety of finfish and crustaceans.
Oysters provide many benefits to marine and aquatic ecosystems. They act as a food source for both animals and people, they improve water quality by filtering water, and they act as habitat for a variety of finfish and crustaceans.
5. Working on the water is a traditional source of income for many coastal communities, and includes oyster aquaculture, which is also known as:
Growing shellfish
Oyster farming
Marine aquaculture, or mariculture
All of the above
Oyster mariculture, also known as oyster farming or growing shellfish, is becoming more popular in North Carolina. Oyster farming helps to reduce harvest pressure on wild oyster populations.
Oyster mariculture, also known as oyster farming or growing shellfish, is becoming more popular in North Carolina. Oyster farming helps to reduce harvest pressure on wild oyster populations.
6. When can you eat oysters?
Days with a "Y" (any day, any month)
Months with an "R" (September through April)
Eating shellfish in ‘R’ months made more sense when oysters were only harvested from the wild rather than farmed. Wild harvest oyster season is closed in summer months to allow oysters to reproduce. Strict environmental rules and monitoring means that oysters you buy are now safe to eat any day with a 'Y'.
Eating shellfish in ‘R’ months made more sense when oysters were only harvested from the wild rather than farmed. Wild harvest oyster season is closed in summer months to allow oysters to reproduce. Strict environmental rules and monitoring means that oysters you buy are now safe to eat any day with a 'Y'.
7. It is important to ensure that oysters are harvested from water bodies with good water quality. Water quality is monitored by who to ensure clean, healthy shellfish?
Oyster growers
Restaurants that serve oysters
Shellfish Sanitation Program, N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries
Volunteers
8. In order to grow up and become adults, juvenile oysters attach to a hard surface. What is the ideal surface for their attachment?
Sand
Oyster shells
Bricks
Concrete
Horseshoe crab shells
Oysters create their own shells from the calcium they filter from the water. They start their lives as free floating larvae, seeking a solid surface to attach. They are able to sense the calcium in existing oyster shells, preferring to land on that surface in order to grow and thrive. Oysters can cluster on any hard, submerged surface, such as older oyster shells, rock, or piers. They fuse together as they grow, forming rock-like reefs that provide habitat for other marine animals and plants.
Oysters create their own shells from the calcium they filter from the water. They start their lives as free floating larvae, seeking a solid surface to attach. They are able to sense the calcium in existing oyster shells, preferring to land on that surface in order to grow and thrive. Oysters can cluster on any hard, submerged surface, such as older oyster shells, rock, or piers. They fuse together as they grow, forming rock-like reefs that provide habitat for other marine animals and plants.
9. Oyster shells should be returned to the water so that juvenile oysters can attach to their surface. It is illegal to send oyster shells to a landfill. Is this true or false?
True
False
Oyster shell recycling is an important part of completing the oyster life cycle. When oysters are removed from the water at a faster rate than their shell is returned, juvenile oysters do not have a place to grow up and the free floating larvae die off. Find out where to recycle shells here.
Oyster shell recycling is an important part of completing the oyster life cycle. When oysters are removed from the water at a faster rate than their shell is returned, juvenile oysters do not have a place to grow up and the free floating larvae die off. Find out where to recycle shells here.
10. Recycled oyster shells are used in oyster reef restoration projects which help to grow wild oyster populations. Some oyster restoration areas are closed to oyster harvesting, and are known as
Let 'em be places
Protected areas
Oyster sanctuaries
Oyster reefs that are protected from harvest are called oyster sanctuaries. They are monitored and managed by the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries. To learn more about these reefs and where they are located, click here.
Oyster reefs that are protected from harvest are called oyster sanctuaries. They are monitored and managed by the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries. To learn more about these reefs and where they are located, click here.
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