Oyster Gardening on Mobile Bay wrapped up its 2015 season last week. More than 40,000 oysters were grown by volunteer gardeners around Mobile Bay. With an average size of 50.5 millimeters, these oysters will be ready to spawn in the spring of 2016, generating millions of additional larvae for the area.
To date, nearly 700,000 oysters have been raised by volunteer gardeners and planted on restoration sites in Mobile Bay and the Mississippi Sound. We hope to start a Mississippi Oyster Gardening program in 2016 as a sister program to the Alabama effort.
Over time, the volunteers can play a big part in restoration efforts, which can mean healthier reefs. More oysters equate to more habitat, erosion control and improved water quality.
Meet the author
P.J. Waters, Ph.D.
Associate Extension Professor
P.J. is an associate extension professor with Auburn University. He coordinates the Mobile Bay Oyster Gardening Program and its projects, as well as K-12 aquaculture/aquascience programs. PJ works... Read more
Phone: 251-471-2124
Email: [email protected]