Category Archives: News articles

Living Shoreline Project – Cedar Key Nature Coast Biological Station

Source: http://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/ncbs/2019/08/12/ncbs-oyster-habitat-project-update/?fbclid=IwAR0AjolYJaIkbGKGY1htstJrsQGHZYQKwkjSf3mtHziMoTfxY2-_YBWkkno

Research is what helps up gain an understanding. This project was planned for 5 groupings of Reef Balls, to monitor oyster recuritment. It started with students helping deploy the project, it has survived storms and seems to be doing it job. The Reef Balls are various heights and configured sometimes with larger ones forward of smaller ones.

I found it interesting the results on recruitment of oysters internally. Many living shoreline projects you material that is only looking at a single surface area. I have encouraged over the past 10 years researching in a cubic meter, three dementionally. It is great to see the published results on this project.

Reef ball barnacle and oyster coverage - inner surface

Please follow the link above for the full article on the first year.

US Armed Forces building oyster reefs

With over 900 Reef Balls deployed this is truly a great cooperative effort.  Watch the video to see how they were deployed and why.   Then think creatively about a project for your area.   Oysters are important and we have lost so many in the waters around the world.  What will you to to restore marine habitat?

Restoring North Carolina's Oysters

In 2013, at the Long Shoal Oyster Sanctuary in Pamlico Sound, N.C., #OysterReefs were created from 880 concrete reef balls – structures placed across the sound floor. Within a few months, young oysters (called spat) began to colonize the balls. By using non-explosive ordnance and training at a safe distance from the new oyster reef, North Carolina has expanded its Oyster Sanctuary System and the #USNavy’s mission of maintaining combat readiness has begun again at the Long Shoal Range. Click the video to learn more!

Posted by U.S. Navy Stewards of the Sea on Friday, August 5, 2016