The GICIA helps CCA deploy 40 tons of oysters in Turtle Bay
In August, the Coastal Conservation Association Florida partnered with Ingman Marine, Abbott Construction, Lee Reefs, Gasparilla Island Conservation and Improvement Association (GICIA), Capt. Jay Withers, Clermont Oyster Bar and Lake County, to deploy two dump truckloads of recycled oyster shells to Turtle Bay in the Cape Haze Aquatic Reserve.
Turtle Bay is located on Cape Haze, just south of South Gulf Cove, in Charlotte Harbor. The effort will boost water quality, fishers and recreational angling, according to a press release.
The oysters were hauled from CCA Florida’s Oyster Recycling Facility in Lake County and transported to Placida. The GICIA allowed them to use the Mercabo barge landing site to load the oysters onto a barge provided by Abbott Construction. It was deployed in Turtle Bay at a pre-permitted location.
“Oysters are natural filters for the aquatic ecosystem and play a vital role in maintaining water quality for Florida’s marine habitat,” said CCA Florida Chief Operating Officer Adam Miller. “With an estimated 85 percent loss of oyster reefs worldwide, we are proud to expand the Turtle Bay Oyster Reef for the fourth time in effort to restore the habitat and water quality in Charlotte Harbor, and we could not do it without the support of our community partners and members.”
This is the second year that the GICIA has partnered with CCA for the oyster deployment, according to Executive Director Misty Nichols.
The recycled oyster shells, donated by the Clermont Oyster Bar, are first dried for six months to kill any potential pathogens. Once deployed, they will eventually attract new oyster larvae, and over time will form a new oyster reef.
“A single adult oyster can filter up to 50 gallons of water a day, and nearly 160 tons of oysters have been deployed in Turtle Bay,” said Frank Gidus, CCA Florida’s Director of Habitat and Environmental Restoration. “Deploying recycled oyster shells to create a new oyster reef is a testament to our commitment to enhancing the water quality in Southwest Florida,”
The federal pre-permitted restoration site allows for more material to be deployed at this Turtle Bay site. Oyster reefs filter pollutants, create habitat for a variety of marine species and reduce turbidity, which aids in seagrass growth.
Find out more at ccaflorida.org
