Oyster shell recycling is a widely used technique for repurposing discarded oyster shells to benefit coastal conservation.  Large scale implementation of shell recycling in Mississippi has been underway for more than one year by the “Save Our Shells” oyster shell recycling program.  Prior to implementation, an economic and feasibility study was conducted to determine the costs and benefits of a shell recycling program in Mississippi.  This poster will discuss the initial assumptions of the feasibility study and make comparison to current results of shell collection and distribution.   

Within the feasibility study (2022) it was shown that there are estimated 51 coastal Mississippi restaurants that sell approximately 4.8-5.2 million half-shell oysters per year, yielding 1.6-1.7 million pounds or 1,207-1,290 cubic yards of shell per year. On average, if a MS Oyster Shell Recycling Program (MS-OSRP) partnered with 20-40 restaurants, there could be a collection between 450-900 cubic yards of oyster shells annually. Recycling oyster shells from restaurants has the potential to benefit coastal resources and connect restaurant patrons directly to conservation efforts.

The “Save Our Shells” oyster shell recycling program started collecting oyster shells from restaurants in 2024. Through the first year of implementation, we have been able to collect over 250,000 pounds of oyster shells from 12 coastal Mississippi restaurants. Currently all the shells collected from the Save Our Shells program are planned for future deployment back into the Mississippi Sound. As the oyster shells are placed back in the water, it is anticipated that oyster larvae will use the recycled shells as a substrate for attachment. New growth of oysters would benefit society by improving the water quality, increasing brood stock, and enhancing fish habitat.