(seagulls calling)
>> THIS IS THE FIRST TIME
I'VE SEEN THIS MUCH ALGAE
IN THE WATER HERE.
>> HE LIVES AND BREATHES
OYSTERS, HE LIVES AND BREATHES
WHAT HE DOES.
>> WE NEED TO HAVE 12 MARKET
SIZE OYSTERS, THAT'S A GOOD
MARKET SIZE OYSTER.
>> SAMMY HAS MORE INFORMATION
ABOUT OYSTER BIOLOGY THAN
ANY OTHER HUMAN ALIVE.
>> WHERE THERE ARE OYSTERS,
THERE'S DR. SAMMY RAY...
>> NORMALLY YOU DON'T FIND
OYSTERS GROWING LIKE
THIS IN WEST BAY.
>> IT'S HIS PASSION.
HE'S PROBABLY THE HARDEST
WORKING MAN I'VE EVER MET.
>> THAT'S A NICE LOOKING OYSTER.
>> HE'S 88 YEARS OLD,
AND HE COMES INTO THE LAB
EVERY SINGLE DAY.
>> IT'S HERE WHERE SAMMY
STUDIES THE HEALTH OF THE
COMMON OYSTER.
>> I'M CUTTING A PIECE
OF MANTLE.
>> HIS EXPERTISE, A MARINE
PARASITE CALLED DERMO, WHILE
IT'S NOT HARMFUL TO HUMANS IT
CAN KILL THE OYSTER.
>> HAVE TO BE SURE THE TISSUE
IS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE TUBE.
>> SAMMY DEVELOPED THE FIRST
DERMO TESTING TECHNIQUE.
>> THIS IS NUMBER 9.
>> AND IT TURNS OUT THE
PARASITE THRIVES IN VERY
SALTY WATER.
>> WE CAN PREDICT WHAT THE
DERMO LEVEL IS AS TO WHETHER
THE BAY IS GETTING ADEQUATE
FRESH WATER.
>> OYSTERS LIVE ON REEFS.
FOUND IN TEXAS BAYS HERE
IN THE SHALLOW WATER,
ARE LAYERS AND LAYERS
OF OYSTERS GROWING ON TOP OF
OLD SHELL AND OTHER OYSTERS.
(oysters being culled)
THROUGHOUT THE YEAR SAMMY
CHECKS OYSTERS FROM ALL
OF BAYS IN TEXAS.
THESE OYSTERS WERE HARVESTED
FROM GALVESTON BAY.
>> AND I SHOULD HAVE THE RESULTS
ON THIS IN ABOUT A MONTH.
>> TEXAS IS THE SECOND
LEADING EXPORTER OF OYSTERS
IN THE COUNTRY.
FOR BEN NELSON THE KEY TO A
BOOMING BUSINESS AND PLENTY
OF OYSTERS...
(oysters being sacked)
...PLENTY OF FRESHWATER.
>> THE FRESHWATER IN-FLOWS IN
THE BAY IS LIKE OXYGEN IS TO ME.
IF WE DO NOT HAVE THE OXYGEN
WE COULDN'T LIVE,
WITHOUT THE FRESHWATER
THE OYSTERS CANNOT LIVE.
(oyster dredge)
>> INCREASED WATER DEMANDS
FROM CITIES IN-LAND PUTS
PRESSURE ON THE BAYS IN
WHICH THESE OYSTERS LIVE.
WITH LESS FRESHWATER,
THE DERMO PARASITE FLOURISHES,
ENDANGERING A WHOLE
SEASONS HARVEST.
>> EVERYTHING THREE INCHES
GOES ON THE BOAT,
AND EVERYTHING UNDER THREE
INCHES GOES BACK OVERBOARD.
THAT WAY YOU'VE GOT A FUTURE
CROP IF YOU DIDN'T YOU
WOULDN'T HAVE NOTHING LEFT.
>> DURING THE OFF-SEASON THE
NELSONS REPLENISH THE
REEFS EVEN MORE.
(oyster shell sprayed overboard)
THEY TEND TO THEIR CROPS SO
TO SPEAK, BY DUMPING TONS OF
SHELL BACK ON THE REEFS.
>> WE ARE FARMING BECAUSE WE
TAKE OUR SHELL, OR BUY OUR
SHELL, WE BUY ROCK, WE BUY
WHATEVER WE CAN, AND WE
BRINGING IT BACK INTO THE BAY.
LIKE ANY FARMER WERE REALLY
PLANTING SOMETHING FOR THE
SEED TO GROW TO.
>> WITHOUT THIS SURFACE,
THE OYSTER WILL SINK INTO
THE SUBSTRATE AND DIE.
>> FOR SAMMY THESE TRIPS OUT
TO THE BAY ARE CRUCIAL.
A CHANCE FOR THIS SCIENTIST
TO CHECK ON THE OYSTERS
AND THEIR HABITAT.
>> THE OYSTER CAN BE USED AS
A BAROMETER OF WHAT'S
GOING ON IN THE BAY.
IF OYSTERS ARE DOING WELL,
MANY OTHER ESTUARINE SPECIES
ARE DOING WELL.
>> AND LIKE AN OYSTER
(kids excited)
SAMMY HAS A SOFT SIDE TOO...
KIDS.
>> IT'S ACTUALLY A BRACKISH
WATER, IT HAS A LITTLE BIT OF
SALT AND A LITTLE BIT OF FRESH.
>> HE FOUNDED SEA CAMP...
WHERE STUDENTS SOAK UP THE
SALTY SIDE OF MARINE BIOLOGY.
>> HANDS ON AND FEET IN,
SO WE TRY TO GET THEM MESSY
AND DIRTY AS MUCH AS WE CAN.
(boat engine)
>> YOU NEED TO EXCITE CHILDREN
IN THE LEARNING PROCESS.
>> OH, DOLPHINS!
SHRIMP BOATS ARE SORTA LIKE
FAST FOOD FOR DOLPHINS,
IT'S EASY, THEY DON'T HAVE
TO WORK TOO HARD AT IT,
AND IT'S PRETTY GUARANTEED!
(fish dumped into water tank)
>> YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I'M
TALKING ABOUT!
BACK UP YA'LL!
THIS IS A RIBBON FISH,
HE'S GOT AN ASSORTMENT OF
DELICIOUSLY LOOKING FANG TEETH.
>> ALMOST ALL OF EM ARE WHAT
WE CALL KINETIC LEARNERS,
THEY WANT TO MOVE AND THEY
WANT TO BE ABLE TOUCH THINGS.
>> THIS IS GREAT, I MEAN
REALLY, WE GOT TO CATCH ALL
THESE FISH, IT'S PRETTY COOL.
>> PUT YOUR GLOVED HAND
OVER THIS OYSTER.
O.K. NOW PUSH DOWN,
COME ON PUSH,
KEEP GOING.
>> THE HIGHLIGHT OF CAMP,
SHUCKING AND SCIENCE WITH
THE DOCTOR HIMSELF.
>> ON THE INSIDE IS A
GASTROPOD OR SNAIL.
>> AND IT'S REALLY NEAT TO
SEE THE KIDS WITH HIM
ACTUALLY, CAUSE YOU KNOW
HE'S NOT VERY LOUD SPOKEN.
HE SITS IN HIS CHAIR.
>> I'M GOING TO EXPOSE THE GILL.
>> AND HE TALKS ABOUT OYSTERS
AND THE KIDS LITERALLY HANG
ON HIS EVERY WORD.
>> CHILDREN LOVE TO TOUCH THE
THINGS THEY'RE LOOKING AT.
WHEN CHILDREN HAVE HANDS ON
THEY'RE MORE INTERESTED,
AND IT EXCITES THEM.
IF YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE
CRACKERS AND COCKTAIL SAUCE
GO OVER THERE.
>> ACTUALLY I THOUGHT IT
WAS VERY TASTY.
>> WE HAVE HAD SO MANY
CAMPERS THROUGH, AND TO BE
ABLE TO TAKE THESE KIDS
AND PUT THEM IN THOSE MARINE
ENVIRONMENT, YOU'RE LOOKING
AT SOMEWHERE IN THE RANGE OF
CLOSE TO 10,000 STUDENTS THAT
HAVE BEEN TOUCHED BY THE
PROGRAM THAT DR. RAY STARTED.
(car beeps)
>> THIS TRIP IS ONE I CONDUCT
QUARTERLY AND COLLECT SAMPLES
FROM SEVERAL BAYS.
>> BESIDES PICKING UP OYSTERS
TO STUDY, SAMMY ALSO GETS
UPDATES ON SOME REEF RESEARCH.
>> WE HAVE A SPECIAL PROJECT
IN EAST MATAGORDA BAY,
WHAT WERE TRYING TO EVALUATE,
WHAT KIND OF FISH USE OYSTER
REEFS, BECAUSE THERE'S NOT A LOT
OF THAT INFORMATION AVAILABLE.
AND SO WE TRY TO TIE THIS
BACK INTO SOME OF SAMMY'S
LONG TERM MONITORING
AND SOME OTHER OYSTER
RESEARCH PROJECTS THAT ARE
GOING ON AT THE SAME TIME.
>> ONE HARD-HEAD.
RED DRUM, 506.
>> BLACK DRUM.
>> BILL AND HIS TEAM CHECK
NETS THAT ARE PLACED OVER
OYSTER REEFS.
>> IT'S A TREASURE HUNT,
YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT YOU
ARE GOING TO CATCH.
WHAT'S NEAT ABOUT THE
SHEEPSHEAD IS THAT HE HAS
INCISORS FOR TEETH, IT GRAZES
ON ALGAE AND PLANTS LIKE A
SHEEP GRAZES IN A PASTURE.
>> BLACK DRUM!
>> WE'VE GOT A STING-RAY,
THEY'RE REALLY NEAT ANIMALS.
MOUTH ON THE BOTTOM,
AND WE'LL GET HIM MEASURED
AND IN THE WATER REAL QUICK.
>> THIS STUDY SHOWS THERE'S A
WIDE VARIETY OF FISH FOUND
ON OYSTER REEFS,
>> LOT'S OF BLACK DRUM.
>> AND IT'S ALSO A WAY TO KEEP
TABS ON THE HEALTH OF THE
FRAGILE BAYS IN WHICH
THEY LIVE.
>> CHANGE IS HAPPENING,
AND IF WE DON'T MONITOR CLOSELY
WHAT'S GOING ON, IT'S GOING
TO CHANGE IRREVERSIBLY
PERHAPS, SOMETHING THAT HAS
EXISTED FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS.
(music)
>> JOHN I THINK WE OUGHTA
SAMPLE THE CAUSEWAY NEXT.
(music)
>> THIS YEAR'S OYSTER SEASON
HAS COME TO A CLOSE.
>> THAT OUGHTA BE IT!
>> AS SAMMY COLLECTS SAMPLES
FROM ONE LAST REEF.
>> THE OYSTERMAN WOULD SAY
THESE OYSTERS ARE WRAPPED UP.
I PROMISED MY ENEMIES I'M
GONNA LIVE TO BE 125.
THIS IS ABOUT AS BEAUTIFUL
AS YOU ARE EVER GONNA SEE.
>> SO AT THE SPRY AGE OF 88,
IT LOOKS LIKE THE OYSTERS OF
TEXAS ARE IN GOOD HANDS
FOR QUITE A WHILE.
>> IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE AT
HIS AGE HE'S ABLE TO CARRY ON
THE WAY HE DOES, BUT IT'S A
GOOD THING THAT HE DOES,
BECAUSE WHAT HE DOES
IS IMPORTANT.
>> IT'S MY INTENTION, AS LONG
AS I'M PHYSICALLY ABLE TO
CONTINUE DOING RESEARCH
AND CONTINUE WORKING WITH
OUTREACH TILL THE GOOD LORD
SAYS SAMMY IT'S TIME TO GO.
HA, HA, HA!