Building an artificial oyster reef in North Carolina’s Lower Cape Fear River raised questions when work began in 2017. Would it grow the oyster population? Would it survive hurricanes? That’s part of the reason the original reef only covered about one acre of the river bottom. Scientists wanted to see if the plan would work.
“This reef site is somewhat unique in its proximity to shore, making it readily accessible to shore-based anglers or kayakers,” Jordan Byrum, enhancement project manager for the DMF, told Coastal Review. “The materials placed at the site in 2017 have withstood several hurricanes and continue to support oyster populations and provide fishing opportunities during high tide. We expect this site will remain productive for anglers visiting Carolina Beach State Park,”
What makes this reef special?
Most artificial reef projects use concrete debris from construction or demolition sites to build the underwater structures. The concrete is hauled to the site on barges. Front loaders on the barges scoop up the concrete and dump it overboard.
Because of its location in the Cape Fear River, this project is a bit different. The DMF used high-pressure water hoses attached to barges to dump 2,100 tons of recycled crushed concrete into the project area. Each concrete piece is about the size of a baseball, which allows a reef of varying sizes to be built. The highest points are only about one foot tall.
The Cape Fear River used to be lined with extensive oyster reefs, but scientists say pollution, overfishing, sedimentation, deepening of the river and disease severely reduced the population. However, studies show the river still has a high volume of floating oyster larvae, and it’s hoped the expanded reef will serve as a base for the larvae to attach and grow.
Additional environmental work planned
The reef expansion isn’t the only river enhancement work to be done.
Work crews will also restore 10 acres of wetlands in the park and install about 2,000 feet of living shorelines along the park’s river boundary, including salt marsh habitats and oyster reef sills. Those sills are essentially low-elevation reefs made up of oyster shells, which will help protect the shoreline and provide habitats for aquatic species.
The reef is part of the Oyster Pathway, which the Coastal Federation hopes to extend downriver to Bald Head Island. The path would connect the natural reefs in the waterway with reefs built by the Coastal Federation, Audubon North Carolina, UNC Wilmington and the Bald Head Island Conservancy.
The DMF launched its artificial reef program in the 1970s. It now has a total of 68 permitted artificial reefs and oyster sanctuaries in the state.
More from Sci NC
Watch Sci NC to learn more about the artificial reef program and NC’s oysters.
https://ncoystertrail.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/image-11.png5601440Jane Harrisonhttps://ncoystertrail.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/NCOysterTrail-1.pngJane Harrison2025-05-15 09:35:422025-05-15 09:35:46Expansion for Artificial Reef in the Cape Fear River
Doctoral student Nick Funnell (right) hand-excavates oysters in the Newport River for processing back in the lab. (Submitted photo)
As an undergraduate student at Bowdoin College, Nick Funnell took an oceanography course and visited the coast of Maine to investigate why many clams died at a farm.
“We didn’t have an immense toolbox,” he said, “but we were really interested in trying to help those people.”
This sort of “applied ecology,” using theoretical concepts to solve existing issues, excites Funnell and led him to UNC-Chapel Hill as a doctoral student in the UNC College of Arts and Sciences’ environment, ecology and energy program. This time, he’s studying a different shellfish, oysters, along the North Carolina coast.
As one of The Graduate School’s Royster Fellows, an honor for which he’s received funding and travel opportunities, he has a bigger toolbox for his research. Funnell has been to 25 oyster farms — from Wilmington, through Morehead City and up to Buxton on the Outer Banks. He worked with harvesters to study the health of oyster environments.
“Oysters are a food source for people and provide valuable ecosystem services,” said Funnell, who will earn his doctorate in May. “They’re cleaning the water and they’re providing habitat. They’re just a very important species — ecologically, culturally and economically.”
The oyster industry provided nearly $15 million to the North Carolina economy in 2022 and is vital to the shellfish sector, which has grown considerably this century.
That’s one reason Funnell’s research is important.
The economic benefits from oysters could take a hit because of increasingly polluted waters, which shrinks the number of locations oystering can occur in North Carolina.
“There are lines along each estuary and water body where harvest is not allowed past a certain point because they’re too polluted,” Funnell explained, “and those lines are not moving higher up.”
But Funnell’s research is well-timed. The United Nations declared 2021-30 the Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. It’s an emphasis that extends to North Carolinians on the state’s coast who base their livelihoods on aquaculture. Funnell said the oyster growers he’s met through his research are vested in sustainability.
“Having any amount of oysters out there is going to be a net environmental positive because they’re filtering the water and making it cleaner and providing habitat,” Funnell said. “Rarely are oyster farming and restoration at odds.”
He’s centered these oyster farmers in his work. Several of Funnell’s research topics came from “having them tell me about what’s going on” and asking what he can help with.
“If it’s impactful in North Carolina, it ought to involve North Carolinians at every step,” he said.
At Carolina, Funnell worked closely with Joel Fodrie, director of the UNC Institute of Marine Sciences. This adviser-advisee relationship thrived because Fodrie is into “mud and buckets science,” according to Funnell, a self-described “fieldwork-motivated person.”
Funnell spent his second and third years in the program in Morehead City at the IMS, and he’s since made regular trips back and forth between Chapel Hill and the coast.
Funnell crossed paths with Perry Bayer (left) and Christian Bayer (right), of My Lord Honey Seafood, seen here relaying oysters in Wards Creek near Beaufort. (Photo by Nick Funnell)
Funnell has also embraced the chance to educate, serving as a teaching assistant in three courses, including aiding students in their independent studies at the IMS. He comes from a family of teachers and can see himself becoming a professor one day.
“The beauty of an ecology degree is you can do academia, you can do nonprofit, and you can do local, state and federal government,” Funnell said.
What’s next? Funnell is looking for work that will allow him to get outdoors, research and mentor new scientists.
It’s a job-search wish list that mirrors his experiences as a Tar Heel.
Sea Grant staff visiting the oyster photo exhibit. Credit: Jane Harrison.
North Carolina Sea Grant and the NC Oyster Trail have teamed up on an oyster photo exhibit to showcase the folks behind the shellfish grown in our state. The exhibit celebrates the ecological, cultural, and economic importance of oysters and the people who help sustain this vital coastal resource. To bring the exhibit to your community, fill out this interest form.
The Exhibit
This dynamic photo exhibit includes seven 3×3 ft displays, each highlighting a different aspect of North Carolina’s oyster story, from restoring coastal ecosystems to supporting local businesses. These beautiful and informative panels feature farmers, scientists, harvesters, and entrepreneurs who are helping oysters thrive in our state.
A living shoreline. Credit: Justin Kase Conder.
An example of a featured topic in the exhibit is oysters’ contribution to a healthy ecosystem. A photo of a living shoreline on Harkers Island depicts the essential ecosystem services provided by oysters. Shellfish like oysters improve water quality by filtering nutrients, provide habitat for 300+ finfish and crustaceans, and serve as a food source for marine organisms and humans.
Another key takeaway from the exhibit is that 50% of NC oyster production comes from aquaculture. North Carolina has more than 300 oyster farms. Aquaculture produces oysters without depleting wild stocks. Oyster farmers often use floating cages or bags to grow out oyster seed.
Ryan Bethea. Credit: Justin Kase Conder.
“The best part about oyster farming is being out on the water. And oysters are delicious,” says Ryan Bethea, oyster farmer and owner of Oysters Carolina.
Make sure to ask for local seafood and support North Carolina’s working waterfront communities. Restaurants and markets that sell local oysters year-round can be found on the NC Oyster Trail. And once you’re done eating oysters, recycle the shells. Juvenile oysters attach to hard surfaces like shells, fusing together to form reefs, and are available for harvest in the next generation.
Matt Schwab of Hold Fast Oyster Co. Credit: Justin Kase Conder.
Want to Host the Exhibit?
The exhibit is a great fit for museums, aquariums, libraries, classrooms, visitor centers, and more. It’s easy to install and can be set up for special events or longer stays (up to four weeks). Displays are available with metal stands or can be wall-mounted with pushpins.
To bring the exhibit to your community, fill out this interest form.
“The exhibit connects people to the coastal heritage of North Carolina while raising awareness about the role oysters play in healthy ecosystems and resilient communities,” says Jane Harrison, NC Oyster Trail coordinator and NC Sea Grant coastal economics specialist. For more info or to chat about exhibit logistics, email jane_harrison@ncsu.edu.
https://ncoystertrail.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/image-5.png9301244Jane Harrisonhttps://ncoystertrail.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/NCOysterTrail-1.pngJane Harrison2025-05-15 08:43:402025-05-15 08:43:43Oyster Photo Exhibit Available For Your Community
by Allison Aplin on March 31, 2025 | Reprinted from Coastwatch
Rising seas and warming temperatures pose challenges for a critical, eco-friendly industry.
North Carolina is home to the eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica), which can vary in size, shape, and taste depending on water quality and location. As the “Napa Valley of Oysters,” North Carolina’s pristine environment supports a variety of oyster “merroirs,” or flavors.
Oyster reefs also provide habitat for a wide range of species, including fish, barnacles, crabs, anemones, and shrimp, improving biodiversity in estuarine habitats. This habitat additionally offers protection for many juvenile species, which in turn leads to increased dockside commercial seafood sales. Dockside sales and other retailers contribute $80.3 million to North Carolina’s $300 million annual wild-caught commercial fishing industry.
While Eastern oysters face many challenges due to our changing climate, they provide numerous eco-friendly benefits for coastal communities. For example, they filter algae from surrounding water, effectively removing impurities and improving water quality. Under certain conditions, in fact, a single oyster can filter 50 gallons of water per day. During this process, oysters also transfer nutrients from the top of the estuarine habitat to the bottom, creating an important link in the food chain.
Although there are often consumer concerns about farm-raised food, oysters are unique in that they do not require any feed, while providing nutrients that include protein, calcium, iron, and zinc. As climate change continues to impact food supply and as demand for food increases, relatively low-maintenance protein sources like oysters will become increasingly important.
Delayed Harvests, Storm Damage, and Disease
Climate change has caused global shifts in many facets of the environment, including increases in sea temperatures, sea level, and storm intensity. Over the last three decades, sea surface temperatures consistently have reached record highs since reliable data collection began in 1880.
Regardless of the specific causes, these mortality events have had devastating effects on oyster farmers in North Carolina. For example, in May 2022, several mortality incidents occurred along the North Carolina coastline, spanning 115 miles, with Stump Sound particularly hard-hit, resulting in oyster losses up to 90%.
Credit: Baxter Miller
NC State University’s Tal Ben-Horin is spearheading a new Sea Grant-funded study of mass mortality events, accounting for a wide range of factors in order to determine how growers can lessen or eliminate these events.
Supporting a Species and an Industry
Supporting oysters in North Carolina benefits coastal ecosystems and communities:
Follow the North Carolina Oyster Trail to discover oyster farmers, restaurants, seafood markets, and educational experiences that promote and celebrate local oysters.
Recycle oyster shells or encourage local oyster-selling businesses to do so, because recycled shells are vital for creating new oyster habitats.
Allison Aplin is a masters candidate in environmental management in coastal and marine systems at the Duke Nicholas School of the Environment. She also serves as an outreach intern for North Carolina Sea Grant.
lead photo: Daniel Pullen.
https://ncoystertrail.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/image.png17072560Jane Harrisonhttps://ncoystertrail.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/NCOysterTrail-1.pngJane Harrison2025-05-05 14:19:182025-05-05 14:19:21Climate Change in the Napa Valley of Oysters
In the modern culinary environment, restaurants are increasingly focused on the notion of giving back. Back to the community, to patrons, and to their team.
For Beverly and Jason Simas, owners of the Shuckin’ Shack in Surf City, it doesn’t stop there. This dynamic duo is committed to giving back to the environment that has enabled them to serve the freshest local seafood since 2015.
“At Shuckin Shack, Surf City we are completely committed to oyster recycling. One-hundred percent of our oyster shells are recycled and returned to local waters to create artificial reefs and stimulate the growth of new wild oysters,” explains Beverly. “We volunteer with the NC Coastal Federation when teams get together to ‘bag’ local oysters to be returned to local waters.”
The commitment to local sustainability has earned the eatery a place on the North Carolina Oyster Trail, which highlights local restaurants, oyster farmers, and eco tours that spotlight the local mollusk.
“To be listed on the trail, we had to commit to keeping the local oysters on our menu every day,” said Beverly. “That isn’t a challenge for us because we love to make our local delicacies the star of the show. The taste is amazing and they clean our local waters, so it really is a win-win for everyone.”
In addition, they also bring in oysters from locations along the East Coast, to provide patrons with a taste of oysters from areas outside the Carolinas, including Canada.
“Every day, you can sample oysters from our local waters and fresh oysters from up and down the East Coast. It’s an amazing experience,” she said. “You can also have those oysters cooked in our many oyster dishes like chargrilled oysters. A varied oyster menu was our dream in opening an oyster bar.”
Beverly and Jason Simas, owners of the Shuckin’ Shack in Surf City.
But it isn’t just the locally sourced items that keep patrons coming back. According to the Simas’ the staff is by far the number one incredible reason why Shuckin’ Shack of Surf City has such a loyal customer base. According to Beverly, the restaurant has a policy of tip sharing among the staff members, which has fostered an environment where the responsibility to show guests the best time imaginable is not only shared, it’s embraced as an attitude.
“You will never hear any of our team members say, ‘that’s not my table,’ or ‘those aren’t my guests,” she said. “We are really proud of the team environment. Not only are our patrons the beneficiaries of top-quality customer service, but it really makes for an outstanding work environment for our team. And they work really hard, so it’s equally as important that they like coming to work and are proud to be a part of the Shuckin’ Shack team.”
Aside from its menu, Beverly said they work very hard to distinguish the restaurant with a “complete commitment to community charity and involvement.” Among the charities they consistently support is the Reel Housewives of Topsail Island Breast Cancer Charity Ride. For more than a decade, the Island-wide, 26-mile bicycle ride is held each fall to raise funds and help local breast cancer patients & survivors.
“We hold a sign-up kick-off party with live music, which is really a ton of fun,” she said. “We feel very strongly about giving back to the people who have patronized us over the years. That’s the beauty of a small-town community bar and restaurant – most people don’t realize how small, brick-and-mortar businesses sustain such charitable efforts throughout this country. It’s so important.”
Beverly and Jason work hard to plan events in the restaurant each month to give visitors something extra special to experience while dining. A Mardi Gras celebration will be held from February 25 – March 1 during which guests will be “transported” to New Orleans and treated to a special menu of food and drink inspired by the Big Easy.
During the week of St. Patrick’s Day, Shuckin’ Shack Surf City will be transformed into an authentic Irish Pub, complete with lively Irish music, bangers n’ mash, and green beer. According to the Simas’ EVERYTHING is going to be green!
Shuckin’ Shack Surf City prides itself on catering to both locals and tourists, providing them a place to enjoy a good time and watch a sporting event on big screens while taking in some of the local history.
Menu items are not limited to seafood. In addition to the crab legs, Ahi tuna, and seafood tacos, Shuckin’ Shack serves amazing burgers, sandwiches, salads, and chicken wings, which can be washed down with its popular Shack Attack Bloody Mary.
Shuckin’ Shack is located at 13460 NC 50 #101 in Surf City. They are open seven days a week from 12 noon – 9 p.m. For more information, contact Shuckin’ Shack at 910.803.2037.
https://ncoystertrail.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/image-7.png7501000Jane Harrisonhttps://ncoystertrail.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/NCOysterTrail-1.pngJane Harrison2025-01-10 13:10:082025-01-10 13:11:58Surf City Sustainability: Shuckin’ Shack recognized as part of NC Oyster Trail
Lovers of bivalves, rejoice! The NC Oyster Trail is packed with aquatic farms and restaurants where you can eat your fill throughout the year.
B
by Jason Frye on December 17, 2024 | Reprinted fromVisit NC
Ghost Fleet Oyster Company
Take a deep dive into marine farming, even if you only wade in as far as your knees or stay dry on the boat. Learn how water salinity and temperature affect oyster production before learning the finest preparation techniques.
Tour
More than a dozen North Carolina oyster farms let you in on their secrets to mariculture (marine farming). Learn what conditions create the tastiest oyster, then shuck and sample a few while you’re on the water. Ghost Fleet Oyster Company offers tours of their floating farms in Sneads Ferry and Hampstead, filling you in on all things oyster: life cycle, the importance of shell recycling and more. Farther down the coast, Epic Excursions provides three-hour tours of Middle Sound Mariculture farm near Wilmington, where the water is perfectly salty for raising a delicious oyster. Their tours include a boat ride to a barrier island for oyster snacking with wine pairings. Best of all, farmed oysters are safe to eat year-round.
Tour with Ghost Fleet Oyster Company
Taste
When you tour an oyster farm, you’ll sample as many as you can shuck. For shuck-free savoring, make your way to a restaurant or seasonal event that puts these mollusks on the pedestal they deserve. Jackson’s Last Saturday Oyster Roast takes place in January, when guests can dine on platters heaped high with roasted oysters. Rusty Hooks Dockside Grill in Southport serves oysters on the half-shell, steamed and fried. (Pro tip: Enjoy your feast at a table with a sunset view.) Ocracoke Oyster Company serves select oysters from a trio of farms on the Outer Banks; enjoy yours on the half-shell with a zippy side of wasabi and ginger, doused in spicy mustard vinegar sauce or prepared Rockefeller-style.
Learn More
Oysters are more than tasty treats – they’re essential to the coastal ecosystem. At the North Carolina Estuarium in Washington and Hatteras Island Ocean Center on the Outer Banks, exhibits spotlight the role oysters play in the environment and the conditions that help oysters, clams, crabs and other sea creatures thrive.
https://ncoystertrail.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/image-3.png960960Jane Harrisonhttps://ncoystertrail.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/NCOysterTrail-1.pngJane Harrison2025-01-10 12:52:262025-01-10 12:59:11Follow the NC Oyster Trail for Fresh Tours and Tastes
To protect their oysters, North Carolina went to war in the late 1800s. As a result, oyster farmers have committed themselves to maintaining the supply of oysters that are showcased on their oyster trail across the state. Check out Saltbox Seafood Joint in Durham owned by James Beard Award-winning chef Ricky Moore or take a tour of Oysters Carolina at Harkers Island to explore the bounty of bivalve mollusks.
https://ncoystertrail.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/image-2.png937750Jane Harrisonhttps://ncoystertrail.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/NCOysterTrail-1.pngJane Harrison2025-01-09 19:18:552025-01-09 19:18:5813 Incredibly Cool Food Trails You Can Visit in the U.S.
Photograph: Courtesy Visit North Carolina/Kate Warren
North Carolina’s Crystal Coast is renowned for its beaches, but did you know it’s also considered the “Napa Valley of Oysters” since it offers a wide variety of flavors? The destination’s Oyster Trail encompasses 80 sites, including Oyster Carolina (where visitors can take a tour, get knee-deep in the water, pull oysters straight from the sea and learn how to shuck ‘em) and Hoop Pool Creek Oyster Company (where adventure-seeking travelers can embark on a kayak tour of the farm). Expand your culinary horizons even further by digging into an order of loaded baked oysters with chorizo, scallion, cheese, bread crumbs, and sour cream at Coquina Fishbar, or keep it simple with an order of steamed or raw oysters at Parley’s Sip & Steam.
https://ncoystertrail.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/image-1.png8641536Jane Harrisonhttps://ncoystertrail.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/NCOysterTrail-1.pngJane Harrison2025-01-09 19:06:252025-01-09 19:06:28The best food and drink trails in America for experiencing local flavors
Oyster farmer Ryan Bethea. Photo by Jeyhoun Allebaugh. Credit: Courtesy of Oysters Carolina
On a typical winter morning, Ryan Bethea might wake up on the North Carolina coast in 65-degree weather, harvest oysters in his shirtsleeves, and end the day trudging through snow on the other side of the state.
Dramatic temperature swings and marathon deliveries are all part of the job, says Bethea, whose operation is unique in the industry: he texts customers photo proof of their oysters being harvested, then delivers them the same day.
A Durham native, Bethea launched Oysters Carolina—a sustainable shellfish farm on Harkers Island—in 2015, with an unconventional approach: no minimum orders, free delivery anywhere in North Carolina. Though he’s had to adjust some policies since then (there’s now a 50-oyster minimum for most orders), his commitment to accessibility has earned him a uniquely diverse customer base that spans every corner of the state.
On Sunday, Bethea brought his signature Beau Sel oysters (“beautiful salt,” in French) to Krill in Durham for an afternoon oyster roast.
While he was in town, the INDY caught up with Bethea to discuss the science behind his ultra-briny bivalves, his path to oyster farming, and why same-day delivery is worth endless hours on the road.
INDY: Tell me about your path to oyster farming.
Bethea: After high school, I went to play college soccer for a couple years, partied too much, and then started bartending and traveling around the country, bartending here and there. I was working at this place in South Durham by New Hope Commons, I can’t remember what it’s called, and I had dress shoes on and was walking on these beautiful floors. And just the sound of nice dress shoes on wooden floors—I don’t know what it was, but it triggered something in me. Like, “It’s time for me to do something meaningful with my life.” You only hear that sound if you’re walking in a courthouse or a nice building.
I went back to school and got a degree in geography at North Carolina Central. The geography program is magnifique.
In North Carolina, if you have a certain degree and a certain GPA, you can start teaching while earning your certificate. It’s called lateral entry. I got a call from Principal Lovett at Terrell Lane, a Title One school in Franklin County. I turned 30 on a Saturday, worked a bar shift that night, and started teaching the following Wednesday. It was freaking crazy.
What made you want to get into the oyster industry?
I read an article that talked about how North Carolina has pristine water but didn’t have an oyster industry like Virginia or South Carolina. It was this exciting industry in its infancy, and I wanted to be part of building it.
Do you see any parallels between teaching and oyster farming?
I mean, it’s all kind of stewardship—you’re growing oysters, you’re growing people. I don’t know how successful I was as a teacher, but I definitely cared about the kids, and I hope they felt that. With the oysters, we hope people can taste how much we care. It’s kind of like when you bake an apple pie with love in it, you know what I’m saying? It’s kind of corny, but…
I know what you’re saying. Tell me about your oysters. I saw they’re known for being particularly salty?
Everything on the East Coast, from Newfoundland all the way to the Gulf, is all one species—it’s called Crassostrea virginica, just the Eastern oyster. But similar to wine, if you take a grape and grow it in France, it’s going to taste different than if you put it in Spain or Argentina. In aquaculture, they call it merroir, like terroir but of the sea. Even two oyster farms 600 yards apart are going to taste different depending on the mouth of the river, what food is available, how much salt water inundation there is.
Our farm is 31 to 33 parts per thousand salt. The ocean is 33 to 35, so it’s pretty much a marine environment. Here’s something wild—there are no oysters in the ocean.
Really?
Yeah, it’s crazy, right? The ocean is too salty for them. They need brackish water to grow best, about 20 to 22 parts per thousand salt. So it stresses the animals, putting them in such a high salinity area. That’s why not a lot of people grow them in high-salinity areas. We’re really fortunate that we’ve got a process that works.
What does a typical week look like for you?
The one restaurant we sell to is Herons at The Umstead Hotel in Cary. So a few days a week, I’m getting up, driving out to the farm, harvesting oysters, taking pictures and videos with a timestamp, texting that to Chef, and heading straight there. Let’s call that Monday and Wednesday. Then Fridays are our delivery day for everybody else.
Tell me about your customer base—who’s ordering these oysters?
It’s literally everyone. We’ve got farmers in Weldon, professors living out in the woods in Pittsboro, college students in Greensboro, bankers in Charlotte. When we first started, we didn’t have a minimum order and delivery was free. We wanted to get oysters to people in rural areas, elderly folks who can’t travel. Now we’ve had to add the 50-oyster minimum, but if you qualify for EBT or any government assistance, we’ll bring you free oysters.
https://ncoystertrail.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/image.png640960Jane Harrisonhttps://ncoystertrail.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/NCOysterTrail-1.pngJane Harrison2025-01-02 09:54:312025-01-02 09:54:34North Carolina Oyster Farmer Ryan Bethea On Making Oysters Accessible Across the State
Once common and wide spread along the N.C. coast, the oyster is making a comeback thanks to sanctuaries and shellfish farmers. But many challenges remain for the small, but popular mollusk
by Gareth McGrath on October 22, 2024 | Reprinted from Star News Online
Image by Ken Blevins
As oyster lovers slurp their way through October, honoring their favorite bivalve during N.C. Oyster Month, the health of the state’s mollusk fishery appears to be on an upward trajectory.
After two decades of concerted efforts by the state, research institutions and environmental groups to help oysters − and the industry they support − bounce back in North Carolina’s coastal waters, the small shellfish is back playing an outsized role in the state’s coastal environment and economy.
But a slew of obstacles still stalk the fishery, from disease to declining water quality to broad opposition from waterfront property owners to the expansion of shellfish farms.
And while the state’s oyster reefs will never match what North Carolina used to have in its extensive sounds and coastal waters, with some estimates that as much as 90% of the state’s historical reefs have been lost over the past century, there is hope the situation, if not at least stabilized, is improving for the state’s most popular shellfish.
Once so plentiful that they formed an important trading commodity and food source for the state’s early residents, oysters have always played an important role in North Carolina’s coastal culture, cuisine and economy.
But the tide began turning against the oyster in the late 19th century, a trend that only accelerated into the 20th century. Unsustainable harvesting depleted oyster beds and onshore development, including timbering and agricultural uses, degraded habitat, allowing sediment and nutrients to flood into coastal waters.
More recently, the massive influx of people drawn to the ocean has heaped more pressure on the mollusks.
As oyster populations have declined, so has the quality of the state’s coastal waters.
Oyster reefs serve as vital habitat for a host of fish and other marine critters and also as natural wave breaks − think living shorelines − to help naturally absorb and disperse tidal energy that can erode and destroy shorelines and damage waterfront structures and infrastructure.
But it is as filter feeders that oysters might have their most important and profound impact on North Carolina’s coastal environment. Each oyster can pump up to 50 gallons of water through its body everyday, removing nutrients and algae from the water. That, in turn, creates clearer and cleaner water for marine life to grow and thrive.
Image Courtesy of NOAA
‘An insurance policy for our wild population’
The status of the state’s wild oyster population is a bit of an unknown, with no stock assessment done in recent times.
But by one measure, the harvesting of wild oysters, the population appears to at least be stable at about 50,000 bushels, each of which weighs 55 pounds, a year.
That doesn’t mean, however, that groups like the N.C. Coastal Federation aren’t offering the little shellfish a helping hand.
In Pamlico Sound, the coastal environmental group has worked with the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries and other partners to build several large manmade reefs, including 40 acres this year and another 40 acres next year, that double as oyster sanctuaries and are off limits to commercial harvesting.
Erin Fleckenstein, the federation’s oyster program director, said the protected reefs account for only 6% of the oyster reefs in the sound, but represent 20% of the waterway’s oyster population and produce 25% of the sound’s spat, or oyster babies.
“These oyster sanctuaries serve as an insurance policy for our wild population,” she said.
But pressures on the state’s oysters aren’t decreasing. Key among them is the massive growth many of the state’s coastal areas, including around the Wilmington area, have seen in recent decades. Fleckenstein said that has researchers starting to look at taking a watershed approach to protecting water quality, including looking at steps that can be taken upstream or well away from the water’s edge.
Image by Paul Stephen
‘Something North Carolina can and should be proud of’
As the state’s wild oyster population continues to face challenges, shellfish farmers like Chris Matteo, owner of Chadwick Creek Oysters and Seed Nursery in Bayboro near New Bern, are stepping up.
When Matteo, who also heads the N.C. Shellfish Growers Association, got into the water-dependent farming industry a little over a decade ago, he could count the state’s number of commercial shellfish farmers on one hand.
“Now there are roughly 130 farmers generating jobs and income all along the coast, and we’re filtering a half-billion gallons of estuarine water a day for free, and that’s not an insignificant impact,” he said.
But like their wild brethren, farm-raised oysters face obstacles. Disease has always been a threat, and a recent spate of mass-mortality events has shellfish farmers and researchers scrambling to find the source. Then there’s the NIMBY worries of some coastal residents to having oyster cages visible from their waterfront homes, and the weather − including too much or too little fresh water − is always a concern, Matteo said.
Still, the industry is thriving and now represents roughly 70% of the oysters harvested in North Carolina, generating nearly $18 million for shellfish farmers, Matteo said.
And for tourists (and even some locals) there’s always the allure of trying something homegrown when visiting the coast. Matteo said that’s especially true when it comes to a raw product like oysters, where people realize if it’s sourced locally that means less time out of the water and a fresher product.
“We’re making progress on nearly all fronts, and that’s critical in a relatively new industry like ours,” Matteo said. “It’s something North Carolina can and should be proud of.”
Reporter Gareth McGrath can be reached at GMcGrath@Gannett.com or @GarethMcGrathSN on X/Twitter. This story was produced with financial support from the Green South Foundation and the Prentice Foundation. The USA TODAY Network maintains full editorial control of the work.
https://ncoystertrail.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/image.png8801320Jane Harrisonhttps://ncoystertrail.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/NCOysterTrail-1.pngJane Harrison2024-11-11 10:37:002024-11-11 10:37:03As NC celebrates oyster month, here’s a look at the state’s most popular shellfish
