Year: 2021
Project(s):
Relevance
Oyster reefs have been heavily damaged across coastal Alabama and Mississippi over the past century. Recent excessive freshwater events have magnified this loss of critical estuarine habitat.
Response
In Alabama and Mississippi, Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium extension specialists worked with stakeholders to introduce, train and establish oyster gardening sites across the coastal region. Stakeholders actively participated in the nursery phase of producing restoration-quality oysters for local restocking efforts.
Results
In 2021, 213 volunteers produced 65,000 oysters with a restorative potential of 3.2 acres and an economic value of $75,703. Oyster gardeners volunteered a total of 3,829 hours yielding a program total value of $184,982.
Recap
Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium extension specialists worked with volunteers from coastal Alabama and Mississippi to produce 65,000 oysters for local restoration efforts. (2021)