In just two years, each one of these oyster rings will produce an average of 160 oysters that will provide crucial filtration for the Indian River Lagoon.
January 31, 2023
By Press Release
Kicking off 2023 in a positive way, Mud Hole Custom Tackle again partnered with Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) Florida, along with the University of Central Florida Biology Field Research Center, to build 370 oyster rings which will be used to restore damaged oyster reefs in the Indian River Lagoon. Volunteers from almost every Mud Hole department joined with CCA Florida volunteers and a group of environmentally conscious UCF students for a day of hard work and high satisfaction.
Volunteers from Mud Hole, CCA Florida and UCF students banded together for a day of hard work to benefit the Indian River Lagoon. “It’s always a pleasure to bring our Mud Hole team together for such a worthwhile effort,” said Brook Oliva, Mud Hole Custom Tackle President and UCF alumnus. “So many of our team members regularly enjoy fishing the Indian River Lagoon, so recruiting a group of dedicated volunteers to get their hands dirty and help CCA on this project was easy.”
Oyster rings are made of hemp burlap and quick-drying cement. The group of over 50 volunteers created 370 oyster rings which are made of hemp burlap and quick-drying cement - one of the most environmentally friendly methods of supporting habitat restoration. In just a two-year period, each oyster ring will produce an average of 160 oysters that will provide crucial filtration and have a direct impact on water quality in the Indian River Lagoon.
The final tally of 370 oyster rings will provide habitat for around 60,000 oysters over the next two years. “Today was an exciting day for our oyster restoration efforts and we are always pleased to have the support of Mud Hole on these projects,” Greg Harrison, CCA Florida Habitat Committee Chairman said. “Today was a ton of work, but thanks to the efforts of the hard-working Mud Hole volunteers and amazing scientific leadership of UCF’s Dr. Linda Walters, those 370 oyster rings will provide habitat for almost 60,000 oysters over the next two years.”
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In the next phase of the program, the cured oyster rings will be strategically deployed in the Indian River Lagoon by volunteer groups to begin the process of reestablishing oyster populations. For more information on this weekend’s oyster restoration efforts, go to: https://mudhole.com/blogs/news/cca-oyster-ring-restoration .
