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The Aquaculture Vulnerability Model (AVM) was developed to assist current and future shellfish growers identify locations where current condition could support an aquaculture growing operation in Virginia waters. The work to develop this model came first from efforts to identify use conflicts in the shallow water zone; where aquaculture generally occurs. Later, supporting geospatial data allowed for a more focused model to help delineate where aquaculture was possible based on physical and biological conditions present. More recently, the model was expanded to consider how both policy, regulation, and land use practices guide where aquaculture is possible and practical. With funding from NOAA Sea Grant, the AVM was developed and applied to both clam and oyster aquaculture across the entire Tidewater Virginia, and expanded to include oyster aquaculture in the Chesapeake and inland bays of Maryland.Parameters used in the model are average salinity, bathymetry, location of submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV), water quality (shellfish closures reflecting fecal coliform measurements), land use, and regulatory data (sanctuaries and public shellfish grounds). |