Oysters are an essential part of a healthy estuarine environment. As filter feeders, they can remove various impurities from the water. A single oyster can filter 50 gallons of water/day. A healthy reef may have 200 or more oysters/m2. Such reefs provide habitat for a wide range of fishes and invertebrates such as crabs and shrimp. A combination of overharvesting and habitat degradation has resulted in drastic reductions in oyster abundance. According to MS-AL Sea Grant, “Mobile Bay oyster reefs are at about 5% of historical levels”.  Similar trends have been seen throughout the coastal areas of the Gulf of Mexico. The loss of suitable habitat results in a decline in oysters and other important organisms.  Little Lagoon fish, shrimp and crab populations are in decline per Alabama Department of Conservation monitoring data. To stop these declines additional appropriate habitat is needed.

Oysters produced by Little Lagoon Preservation Society are helping the Alabama Department of Conservation efforts to restore Mobile Bay oyster populations and providing valuable filtration and habit benefits. Starting in 2017, each year the Lagoon Oyster Gardening Program kicks off by recruiting gardeners in the Jan-March time frame. Gear is ordered and paid for by LLPS and by grants from folks like COGS, Republic Services and Gulf Coast RC&D. Gardening gear is ordered and delivered in the April-May timeframe. PJ Waters with MS-AL Sea Grant conducts seminars on oyster gardening in general and the finer points of gardening and cage maintenance.  “Baby” oysters are delivered, usually around the first week of June (temperature dependent), and the oysters grow and mature until November-December.  Sometime between early November and early December, volunteers pick up the 2-3” oysters and deliver them to the Auburn Shellfish lab for distribution via boat to closed reefs in Mobile Bay. The restoration locations are selected by the Alabama Marine Resources Division.