CURRENTS

Oyster building boom Bags of recycled shells placed on the coastline help sustain estuary

As an ash-gray sky threatened rain over the Intracoastal Waterway, a 45-foot catamaran pulled up to a muddy shoreline of the Coosaw-Ashepoo Cut, dropped off about 50 people and chugged away.

Standing ankle deep in sludge, the small army of volunteers began hoisting 600 bags of oyster shells that were piled high in johnboats anchored nearby. One by one, the bags landed in the mud at the water's edge.

By the time the big boat returned for its passengers, the group had built the Lowcountry's newest oyster reef - 20,000 pounds of recycled shell, packed 150 bags long and four bags wide.

The project kicked off the South Carolina Oyster Restoration and Enhancement's first project of the summer. According to Michael Hodges, the wildlife biologist from the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources in charge of the project, the day went smoothly.

"We beat the weather, so that's always good," Hodges said. "We had a great turnout, a lot of first-time volunteers."

Staff from DNR and the Coastal Conservation Association, along with 37 volunteers, gathered together on a Thursday morning at Bennetts Point in the ACE Basin to build an oyster reef by placing oyster shell-filled bags on the shoreline.

SCORE Coordinator Nancy Hadley explained that the ecosystem in Charleston is based on oyster reefs, which makes projects like this necessary to reverse the human damage to reefs and sustain the local estuary. She said oyster reefs stabilize the environment; without them, the estuary would become totally unpredictable. In addition, oyster reefs provide habitats for up to 70 species of fish and animals, including oysters. And each adult oyster improves water quality by filtering about 50 gallons of water per day.

The shells were collected and bagged in the Charleston area, where the harvesting of oysters for food and damage to existing oyster reefs caused by coastal property development and boat wakes has contributed to a shortage of the bivavle mollusks. One of the damaging effects of property development is increased run-off that occurs when natural vegetation is paved over. Rainfall streams in the water and erodes the coastline, polluting the water and harming the oyster reefs.

"As the coast develops as rapidly as it is, the things we are doing to coastal property are negatively effecting oysters," Hadley said. "If we let them get below a sustainable level, then we're not going to be able to recover them."

Recycled shells are used to construct the reef because they make the best oyster cultch, the hard surface that oysters cling to and live on near the coastline.

An older oyster reef located next to the new one already shows evidence of sustaining the coastline. A few promising blades of grass have popped up in the mud between the coastline drop-off and the reef, which was built two years ago for a SCORE project. Netted bags that held the oysters were undetectable, because so much sea life now covers the 2-year-old reef, causing it to turn an algae-green color and grow a few inches higher. Hadley said it takes anywhere from a few months to a year for the reefs to grow into fully inhabited, live reefs, but the first oysters can latch on within minutes.

Anthony Hudspeth's favorite part of the day, besides spending it on the water instead of in a classroom, was observing the finished product.

"The best part of the day was getting to the end and unloading the last bag," said the 16-year-old volunteer from the Beaufort Marine Institute. "You already get to see what it's going to look like from the one from two years ago."

Another volunteer, 13-year-old Belvin Olasov from Montessori Day School in North Charleston, enjoyed a simpler pleasure. "I had fun when I took off my shoes and trudged in the mud."

But this multitasking, ecological lifesaver isn't easy to pull off. The process of transplanting the shells back to the coast from oysters that were harvested and served up fried, charbroiled, steamed or raw requires a lot of manpower and even more teamwork.

"It's definitely hard work," volunteer Funda Clark said. "I didn't know what I was getting into."

But despite the looming bad weather, tough manual labor and muddy shoes, everyone seemed to have a good time.

"It was fun," said Scott Whitaker, the executive director of the Coastal Conservation Association, who came out to lend a hand as well as a couple of johnboats.

The CCA partakes in the SCORE program as part of its Topwater Action Campaign, which aims to improve fisheries management and conservation by getting involved with oyster recycling, habitat restoration and water quality.

These reefs benefit fishermen, too, according to Whitaker. He said the reefs help reel in more catches because they create habitats for many species of fish that are structure-oriented, especially when they're young. Improved water quality from our filtering friends also makes for better fishing conditions.

"Even certain offshore species, such as grouper, benefit from these inshore improvements," Whitaker said.

The recent oyster reef build was one of 154 reefs in 32 locations that SCORE has built with the help of volunteers. Hadley said DNR does not have enough staff to do what needs to be accomplished in oyster restoration, so the organization uses volunteers to keep up the good work.

"By empowering the community, you build a legacy for building oyster reefs," she said.

For more information about upcoming oyster reef build projects and details on oyster shell recycling locations, visit the SCORE Web site at score.dnr.sc.gov.

Reach Emily Lane at 843-937-5519 or elane@postandcourier.com

Copyright © 1995 - 2009 Evening Post Publishing Co..