Our Hero – The Oyster
In our own backyard, the Barnegat Bay was once rich with oysters. Long Beach Island’s culture thrived from locals farming the bay to feed their families and supply restaurants. But as development grew, pollution destroyed the ecosystem. Water quality decreased, essential fish habitats vanished, and the oyster population dwindled. We found that this didn’t only happen in our local waters, but on a worldwide scale.
Why are Oysters So Important?
- One adult oyster can filter up to 50 gallons of water per day!
- Oyster shells can be removed from the waste stream and recycled.
- Shells can be used to create manmade oyster reefs which promote natural setting oysters (more oysters = more water filtering) as well as improved habitat for other marine life.
- Shells can also be used to create living shorelines which help prevent erosion and storm surge.
Oyster Recycling Animated Video
