The Statistics

We continue on with our narrative by delving into the science, which could give us a substantiated view of why the oysters' frequency was fluctuating. With a scientific basis, we support our hypothesis and research question investigating whether or not the density of oysters have declined during the second industrial revolution from 1870 to 1970.

NUMBER OF BLUE POINT OYSTER DISHES IN NYC

This first graph displays the total oyster dish count throughout the years from 1900 to 1970. This was created with Tableau.

The second graph below displays the Biochemical Oxygen Demand in New York Harbors with the Salinity in correlation to the amount of oysters throughout time. The graph below was also created with Tableau.

NEW YORK WATER HARBOR TESTING DATA

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?

The two visualizations here are meant to be juxtaposed from one another. The top visualization depicts the amount of Blue Point oyster dishes being served in New York from 1901 to 1971. Our group would like to highlight that the visualizations are only depicting the indexical relationship between oysters being sold in New York and oysters living in the bay. This is why the chart for the oyster dishes seemingly peaks at random times during the Blue Point oyster decline. While the the decline of oysters actually living in the bay may be declining more consistently, our visualization shows the oysters’ ebb and flow with sales in a market setting. Despite our research question measuring the amount of oysters from 1870 to 1970, we chose to begin our visualization at 1901. The reason for this decision was because our sources all pointed to 1900 being the height in oyster fishing and popularity.

Thus, we felt it more informational to start at the peak and watch the effects of pollution take hold of the oyster progression. What one should take away from these visualizations is an establishment of fact that as New York City’s dumping of toxic waste into the New York Harbor increased, Blue Points were being sold less. This is also substantiated by David Weber's research (Weber, 1982), whereby he claims that by 1920, the oyster population had largely declined from harbor waters. This was caused by sewage outfalls, over exploitation of wild oyster stocks, over harvesting, chemical and industrial pollution as a result of population growth, and the practice of planting oysters for commercial harvest. We can see the environmental impacts he discusses in his article, through the second graph demonstrating a quantitative change.

These visualizations act as the foundation to our project. Foundational to the societal impacts that stem from the decline of the famous delicacy: the Blue Point oyster.