The waters in Onset and Wareham were once flush with oysters, but now the stock is so depleted that officials have shut down commercial oystering, and are considering shutting down recreational oystering as well.

There are a number of factors that have led to the depletion of the oyster population, including dredging, overfishing, and a disease that is particularly harmful to oysters having taken hold in Buzzards Bay.

In the early 1990s, a parasitic disease called "Dermo" was discovered in Buzzards Bay. According to Aquatic Biologist Greg Sawyer of the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries, the disease prevents oysters from reaching maturity, allowing them to grow to roughly two inches long before they are overcome by the parasite and die.

Oysters must be three inches long before they can legally be harvested.

“There are very few oysters in Wareham, and the main location off of Onset Island” said Sawyer. “If it’s as bad as [Wareham Harbormaster Garry Buckminster] says it is, I support him 100% in closing it.”

Sawyer says that Onset Bay is a prime breeding ground for oysters, and if the remaining adult oysters are left alone to spawn, the area could be replenished within a couple of years.

“It has a nice, firm, stony bottom," Sawyer explained. "It’s hard sand, which they prefer over the mucky stuff. … Within a couple of years I think you’ll see a big difference.

Harbormaster Buckminster shut down commercial oystering on Dec. 28, and on Tuesday, asked the Selectmen to shut down recreational oystering.

According to Buckminster, the oyster stock needs time to replenish itself.

“I think we can reassess the situation in September to determine if we want to reopen” recreational oystering, he said.

As for commercial oystering, Buckminster said he doesn’t expect to reopen commercial fisheries next year.

“I would like to see us close the fishery completely, so we can figure out what’s going on here,” he said.

While commercial oystering has been shut down for those who do it in the open water, oyster farmers who raise oysters in enclosed structures will not be shut down.

Wareham resident Michael Besse owns one such structure, and took issue with the proposal to shut down recreational oystering.

“I don’t see the reason for it,” Besse told the Selectmen, adding that he believes the reasons behind the drop in oysters should be looked into further.

Selectman Alan Slavin said he's heard from some fishermen who are concerned, however.

“I had three commercial fishermen call me, very upset, and asked to close down this fishery," Slavin said.

There are still enough adult oysters in the area for the oyster population to rebound naturally through spawning, but Buckminster is planning to lend Mother Nature a hand on this one. He’s hoping to set up an aquaculture system at the Onset Pier, where oyster seed would be placed in an enclosed structure, giving tiny oysters (about 1.5mm each) a safe place to grow.

Oysters can take from 14 to as long as 18 months to two years to reach harvestable size.

Buckminster says the purpose of the aquaculture system is to get oysters to “a size where there’s less chance of mortality. We want to keep them a little bigger so we’re not just feeding the crabs.”

He also plans to distribute “culch” in the area. The culch is a substance comprised of broken shells, which will give the oyster spawn something to attach to.

“It’s like when you see an oyster attached to a rock. It’s the same concept,” said Buckminster.

Another group concerned about the situation is the Virginia-based Nature Conservancy, which deposited “spat collectors” at three points in Wareham for oyster spawn to attach to, in an effort to find out where the oyster population stands.

“The Nature Conservancy is working with the town of Wareham to continue getting assessments, and to work toward our shared goal of oyster restoration,” said the nonprofit's Casey Shetterly.

Buckminster said he also plans to work in conjunction with commercial fishermen.

“They work the area so they're very knowledgeable about specific areas," he said. "We’re all shareholders in this, and we need to come together and come up with a good game plan.”

The Selectmen ultimately held off on a decision on recreational oystering on Tuesday.

Selectmen Chair Steve Holmes said he’d “like to see something in writing” outlining the reasons for the depleted stock. The Selectmen will then discuss the issue again.