Throughout South Carolina’s Low Country, the roasted oyster is a staple in a rich and deep culinary culture. But seafood lovers from the state of Palmetto may not know that their state needs your help to recover the oyster shells. Since the vast majority of harvested shells are not recycled, South Carolina needs to buy oyster shells from other states to replenish its own reefs, which are critical habitat for species and important characteristics of healthy coastal ecosystems.
Oyster reefs help protect shorelines, filter water and provide habitat for their primary residents and a host of other wildlife. Unfortunately, the United States’ oyster populations have declined to a fraction of their historical levels because of over harvesting, pollution and habitat destruction. But rebuilding crustacean habitats is one of the most promising opportunities to revive coastal ecosystems, and state investments in restoring oyster reefs have paid off in recent years.
To encourage the recycling of shells, the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, with the help of the Pew, The Outside Foundation and the Coastal Conservation League, has just released three videos online. The first, “The Importance of the Oyster,” is about the many benefits that these bivalves offer to the South Carolinians, including protection from storms, habitat for wildlife, cleaner water and sustainable local seafood.
The second, “From Restaurant to Shoreline”, features two restaurant owners explaining why they participate in the state’s shell recycling program.
And the third, “How you can help South Carolina’s oysters,” shows how recycled shells contribute to healthy reefs and oyster populations.
With more than 30 oyster recycling stations across the state, putting the shells back in the water is easy for southern Carolinians, especially those near the coast. Consumers and seafood companies simply deliver the empty shells or, if the quantity is large enough, the state’s Department of Natural Resources (DNR) arranges for collection. DNR also ensures that all shells are free of diseases that can spread between oysters before shells are returned to the water to replenish reefs, both those that are actively harvested and the prohibited areas.
Simply placing a shell on most reefs in South Carolina will almost inevitably cause the oyster chicks to stick to it, because the state’s water is already full of these floating larvae. But the window for them to settle on a hard surface that will allow them to grow is brief: the larvae that sink into soft sediment or sand cannot survive because they need to pump water through their gills to feed. And simply throwing oyster shells on the beach or in a stream, even with the best of intentions, will not help because they are likely to be buried. The shells that become part of the reefs, on the other hand, are swept away by the micro-currents that revolve around the structure.
By taking a quick trip to the nearest shell recycling station or supporting a restaurant that recycles shells, all of us, as consumers, have the opportunity to help build the oyster reefs that can provide so many economic and ecosystem benefits to the South Carolina.
Joseph Gordon is a project director and Lora Clarke is a campaign officer for The Pew Charitable Trusts to protect marine life on the east coast of the USA. Clarke lives in South Carolina.