Eastern oysters (Crassostrea virginica) are a sessile organism that needs a hard substrate for survival. This species of oyster form beds of shells that act as a habitat for many fish, crabs, and other marine species. Eastern oysters are filter feeders which can filter the excess nutrients and pollutants, improving the water quality of a given area. Historically, Mississippi used to be a leading “Seafood Capitol of the World” due to the massive oyster and shrimp industry. In recent decades, however, oyster populations in the Gulf have declined due to a variety of anthropogenic and natural stressors. Strategic placement of a cultch substrate (limestone, oyster shells) can be designed to add resilience and increase surface area to maximize benefits for oysters and habitat. 

The Tony Trapani Reef is a 40.3 acre near shore reef in St. Louis Bay, Mississippi. The reef was constructed using limestone and recycled oyster shells consisting of over 17,000 pods of material precisely placed four feet apart from each other adding vertical relief for the oyster population. The Nature Conservancy has been monitoring the reef, checking water quality (temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, turbidity) and the density (size, stage of growth). We anticipate this reef with its complex design to promote a better survival rate for oyster populations and create a more dynamic ecosystem for many marine species to have habitat, a food source, and protection from predation. In this presentation, I will be discussing the process of implementing a project at this scale and the data collected from the oyster population found.