Oysters are a benthic dominant, important ecosystem engineer, and provide critical ecosystem services in temperate estuaries worldwide. Despite their importance, oyster populations have declined 85% globally and are at <1% their historic harvest levels in Virginia. Many invertebrates exhibit high post-settlement mortality in early benthic life stages, but there is limited quantitative information available due to the small size of post recruit stages. The goal of this project is to estimate growth and mortality rates in newly recruited oysters in the Chesapeake Bay. In summer 2021, shellstrings were deployed at two long term monitoring sites in the James River. In summer 2022, this was expanded to include one site in both the Great Wicomico and Piankatank Rivers. At each site, six serial deployments of shellstrings were set at two-week intervals. A susbset of two shellstrings were retrieved at intervals. The number of recent oyster recruits were counted on each shellstring, a subset were photographed, and individual recruits were measured using ImageJ software. The length frequency data documents growth of cohorts over time and enables estimation of growth and mortality rates over space and time. Given that oysters have multiple spawning events throughout the summer, this approach identifies optimal time windows or conditions that improve settlement success and survival. An improved understanding of early life history recruitment, growth and mortality rates can help guide shell replenishment and oyster population management in the Chesapeake Bay.