Year: 2023
Relevance
The natural reef harvests of the native eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) have been in decline for the last few years in part due to wild harvest and environmental impacts. Oysters spawned from broodstock in hatcheries and grown out to market size on commercial farms are a sustainable resource for food supply and have a beneficial economic impact in the community.
Response
Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium (MASGC) extension specialists worked with oyster farmers and resource managers to develop and share the Oyster Farming Resilience Index (OFRI). This index allows farmers to complete a self-assessment of vulnerabilities to improve the resilience of the farm. Once the OFRI was completed it was shared with and completed by industry leaders.
Results
The OFRI has been completed by at least 25 existing farmers. In addition, Mississippi Department of Marine Resources, which manages the oyster farming industry in the state values the OFRI to the point that it now requires potential oyster farmers that are applying for permits to review the OFRI in order to be eligible to receive their permit for farming in the state's oyster park.
Recap
Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium-supported extension specialists developed and released the Oyster Farming Resilience Index, which farmers must complete to obtain an oyster park lease from the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources. (2023)