Skip to main content

2014 Was Best Year Yet For Brevard Zoo Oyster Restoration Programs

This past year, local conservation leader Brevard Zoo and partners Brevard County and the University of Central Florida celebrated the biggest accomplishments yet for their Oyster Gardening and Oyster Mats programs (referred to collectively as “Brevard Oyster Restoration”) thanks to help from community volunteers.

The Oyster Gardening program concluded its first year of operation having successfully recruited more than 800 waterfront residents who dedicated about 135,000 hours to growing oysters inside specially designed habitats suspended from their docks. These volunteers also collected data that determined the most successful areas of the county for oysters.

In November, that data was used to select three sites for Brevard County's very first oyster reef-restoration construction projects. By the end of the year, 15 reef sections were completed at those sites, populated by the more than 60,000 live oysters grown through the Oyster Gardening program. Those oysters will soon filter a combined 3 million gallons of water per day while providing wildlife habitat and natural erosion prevention, too.

It's been a big year for the Oyster Mats program, as well. More than 6,000 volunteers contributed well over 10,000 hours to constructing about 4,300 oyster mats, bringing the total number of volunteers who have participated in the program to date up to an impressive 41,128.

Five oyster reefs were restored this past year using oyster mats produced through the program, and an additional 3 reefs were repaired following boat collisions, making for a total of 68 reefs and 2.01 acres restored to date. According to Dr. Linda Walters, Pegasus Professor of Biology at UCF, those restored reefs could provide substrate for up to 6.94 million oysters.

Both oyster programs will also benefit from a new oyster shell recycling partnership between

Brevard Zoo, Brevard County, Waste Management, local seafood processing plant Southeastern SeaProducts, and Anderson Rentals, Inc. The Oyster Mats and Oyster Gardening programs have also both secured funding to expand into 2015 and beyond, so look for more great things to come in the New Year.




GET THE NEWSLETTER Join the List and Never Miss a Thing.

Recommended Articles

Recent Videos

As kayaks have evolved and anglers have added tremendous amounts of tackle and accessories, the weight factor must be co...
Gear

Sea Trials: Bait Stop

As kayaks have evolved and anglers have added tremendous amounts of tackle and accessories, the weight factor must be co...
Gear

Sea Trials: Edge Quest

As kayaks have evolved and anglers have added tremendous amounts of tackle and accessories, the weight factor must be co...
Gear

Sea Trials: Reef Roundup

As kayaks have evolved and anglers have added tremendous amounts of tackle and accessories, the weight factor must be co...
Videos

Crescent Kayak's Fly-Weight Rigs & Ultra-Affordable Primo!

As kayaks have evolved and anglers have added tremendous amounts of tackle and accessories, the weight factor must be co...
Videos

Newport NK180PRO: Empower YOUR Fishing Utility!

As kayaks have evolved and anglers have added tremendous amounts of tackle and accessories, the weight factor must be co...
Videos

Native Titan X Rigged with Newport NK300 really MOVES

As kayaks have evolved and anglers have added tremendous amounts of tackle and accessories, the weight factor must be co...
Videos

Hyper-Versatile K-Craft Paddle & Powerskiff!

As kayaks have evolved and anglers have added tremendous amounts of tackle and accessories, the weight factor must be co...
Videos

Cover Up With Sun-Protective Clothing

As kayaks have evolved and anglers have added tremendous amounts of tackle and accessories, the weight factor must be co...
Videos

Inflation We Can Live With! Mustang Convertible PFD

As kayaks have evolved and anglers have added tremendous amounts of tackle and accessories, the weight factor must be co...
Videos

Converting and Re-Arming Mustang Inflatable A/M PFD

As kayaks have evolved and anglers have added tremendous amounts of tackle and accessories, the weight factor must be co...
Videos

YakAttack Rod Management Systems Set the Bar for Kayak Anglers

As kayaks have evolved and anglers have added tremendous amounts of tackle and accessories, the weight factor must be co...
Videos

YakAttack Kayak Carts Will Get You There

Florida Sportsman Magazine Covers Print and Tablet Versions

GET THE MAGAZINE Subscribe & Save

Digital Now Included!

SUBSCRIBE NOW

Give a Gift   |   Subscriber Services

Preview This Month's Issue

Buy Digital Single Issues

Magazine App Logo

Don't miss an issue.
Buy single digital issue for your phone or tablet.

Get the Florida Sportsman App apple store google play store

Other Magazines

See All Other Magazines

Special Interest Magazines

See All Special Interest Magazines

GET THE NEWSLETTER Join the List and Never Miss a Thing.

Get the top Florida Sportsman stories delivered right to your inbox.

Phone Icon

Get Digital Access.

All Florida Sportsman subscribers now have digital access to their magazine content. This means you have the option to read your magazine on most popular phones and tablets.

To get started, click the link below to visit mymagnow.com and learn how to access your digital magazine.

Get Digital Access

Not a Subscriber?
Subscribe Now

Enjoying What You're Reading?

Get a Full Year
of Guns & Ammo
& Digital Access.

Offer only for new subscribers.

Subscribe Now

Never Miss a Thing.

Get the Newsletter

Get the top Florida Sportsman stories delivered right to your inbox.

By signing up, I acknowledge that my email address is valid, and have read and accept the Terms of Use