An oyster can filter 50 gallons of water a day, and a single acre of oysters filters 150 million gallons of water a day.
Put a single oyster in a fish tank of dirty water, and the water will become crystal clear before your eyes. Oysters act as a natural and free filter for pollutants, algae, dirt, and nitrogen in waterways.
People of this generation complain that the Chesapeake Bay is murky and dirty, but in the past the Chesapeake was known for its pristine, clear water. It should come as no surprise – the Chesapeake Bay has less than 1% of its original oyster population due to overharvesting.
It isn’t all bleak though. The problem is well known, and significant restoration efforts will soon come a long way to restoring the crystal clear beauty that the Chesapeake once symbolized.
Oysters use those murky bits they filter out to build their tissue. Mmmmm tasty!
I Have an Interesting fact Fetish, and I Can't Stop 