Conservation Organizations Join FlatsWorthy and CCA Texas to Address Critical Concerns Over Continued Decline of Oyster Fishery
FlatsWorthy, CCA Texas, and numerous committed conservation groups took an important first step in addressing critical concerns with the continued decline of public oyster reefs in a letter to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission.
The letter is the beginning of a broader and crucial dialogue necessary to:
- Prioritize the STRUCTURAL value of reefs
- Prioritize the ECOLOGICAL value of reefs
- Provide opportunities to SAFEGUARD more reef systems
- Provide opportunities to CREATE more reef systems
Taking action will ultimately lead to a healthier oyster fishery.
Use the Following Resources to Learn More About the Importance of Oysters to our Environment and the Habitat
“Conserving oyster reefs”
Harte Research Institute 1-page handout
“Facilitating foundation species: The potential for plant–bivalve interactions to improve habitat restoration success”
Journal of Applied Ecology, Feb. 3, 2020
“Mapping seston depletion over an intertidal eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) reef: Implications for restoration of multiple habitats”
Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 212, 2018
“Modeling the Effects of Oyster Reefs and Breakwaters on Seagrass Growth”
Estuaries and Coasts, 2019
“Oyster Reefs at Risk and Recommendations for Conservation, Restoration, and Management”
BioScience, Feb 2011
“Oyster breakwater reefs promote adjacent mudflat stability and salt marsh growth in a monsoon dominated subtropical coast”
Scientific Reports, May 24, 2019
“Oyster Reefs as Natural Breakwaters Mitigate Shoreline Loss and Facilitate Fisheries
PLoS ONE 6(8), August 5, 2011
“Restoring the ‘Coral Reefs’ of the Chesapeake Bay”
Chesapeake Bay Foundation
“Wave Attenuation by Oyster Reefs in Shallow Coastal Bays
Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation 2018
Video about the Billion Oyster Harvest in the New York Harbor. Originally aired on NBC.
Yahoo! News, Sept 21, 2021
“Billion Oyster Harvest Aims to Restore NY Harbor Reefs”
NowThis, YouTube, May 12, 2020