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Tag: Oyster River Ecology

Reel Time: Rebuilding oyster habitat

Written by Rusty Chinnis on . Posted in Feature, Outdoors.

On Dec. 20, Oyster River Ecology (ORE) board member Rob Brown and I participated in an ORE rag pot installation in the upper Manatee River near Redfish Point. The volunteer event, a partnership with the Tampa Bay Estuary Program (TBEP), was a hands-on restoration work day that focused on rebuilding oyster habitat in the Manatee River.

The event, scheduled from 8 a.m. to noon at the Eileen Reef near Parrish, brought together volunteers passionate about marine conservation and ecosystem recovery. In an hour and 15 minutes, the volunteers installed approximately 2,000 rag pots that mimic the complex habitats that oysters form naturally, helping to enhance local reef structure, improve water quality through filtration and support diverse aquatic life.

The rag pots were the brainstorm of ORE Founder and Executive Director Damon Moore and provide a cost-effective and ecologically friendly reef substrate that establishes new surfaces for oyster larvae to settle and grow. The oyster rag pots (ORPs) are made by dipping cotton rags in a cement mixture and shaping them into pot-like forms.

Volunteers launched kayaks along the river in Parrish and paddled approximately half a mile to the reef site. Once there, they received training and were divided into small teams led by ORE staff. Teams worked within pre-marked zones to install the ORPs at 1-foot intervals, a process that maximizes habitat coverage while minimizing disturbance to the river bottom.

The event was scheduled to coincide with an extremely low tide which ensured a water level (about 6–18 inches) that was more accessible and safer for volunteers to work in the tidal flats. Work included carrying materials, placing the rag pots and collecting tools and materials before paddling back to shore.

Besides restoration work, the installation day served as a community-building experience. Following the installation, volunteers gathered for a tailgate lunch provided by TBEP that offered volunteers a chance to celebrate their achievement, connect with fellow conservationists and learn more about ORE’s efforts to enhance the local marine environment.

Oyster River Ecology’s efforts are part of a broader movement to restore degraded oyster reefs, habitats that once flourished along Florida’s coasts but have been diminished by overharvesting, pollution and habitat loss. ORE’s mission is to engage volunteers in practical, science-based restoration techniques like rag pot installation. ORE not only helps rebuild vital marine ecosystems but also educates and empowers the community to take part in meaningful environmental stewardship.

To learn more about ORE’s mission, discover insight into local history (the Manatee River was originally named the Oyster River) and to be part of this game-changing movement, visit ORE’s website.

Get involved this summer

Written by Rusty Chinnis on . Posted in Feature, Outdoors, Reel Time.

With summer fast approaching, there’s time on the horizon when we have the freedom from school schedules, extracurricular activities and many of our daily routines and have the time to fish more and to get involved in worthwhile projects.

We’re blessed here to have a community of organizations, anglers and individuals who care for and appreciate this amazing place we call home. If you have some time on your hands and/or are looking for ways to help protect, defend and nourish our local waters and habitat, here are a few of the organizations that have that mission and provide those opportunities. Add these links to a list of your favorites to join and check in regularly to see and get involved in their good works. Getting involved not only provides a sense of “doing the right thing” but can offer an opportunity to meet others with similar interests. Here is a list of a few of the major players in our watershed and a link to their websites.

Suncoast Waterkeeper’s (SCWK) mission is to protect and restore the waters on the Florida Suncoast for the benefit of all through community and stakeholder engagement, environmental monitoring, advocacy, and responsible legal action. Their priorities are to ensure that appropriate laws are being followed and to take corrective action when they are not. SCWK’s work is supported by science, the appropriate statutes and environmental ethics, while always seeking to prevent environmental damage wherever possible. The main focus of the group is scientific environmental monitoring, community engagement, advocacy, and, when necessary, taking responsible legal action.

Sarasota Bay Watch (SBW) is dedicated to restoring coastal ecosystems through citizen participation. You can become an active participant by joining as a member and volunteering in Sarasota Bay Watch’s ongoing effort to protect and restore this valuable natural resource. SBW believes a sustainable ecosystem to be one that most closely resembles its natural state absent human influences, and to the greatest extent possible, one that maintains its balance of species and habitat quality in harmony with human communities. This requires both the education and active stewardship of our human communities. SBW works towards its mission with youth education, cleanups, clam restoration and much more.

Suncoast Aqua Ventures (SAV) stated mission is to keep our coastal and underwater ecosystems free from human trash and debris. They initiate and participate in numerous cleanups throughout the year to promote this cause. In the past SAV hosted the Gene Cloud Memorial Spearfishing Tournament. Those events raised over $82,000 to benefit All Children’s Hospital and Shriners Hospital for Children. Their efforts are now focused entirely on cleanup events. They partner with numerous organizations like Keep Manatee Beautiful, Sarasota Bay Watch, Sarasota Bay Estuary Program and Suncoast Reef Rovers with their planned cleanup events.

Oyster River Ecology (ORE) serves Manatee, Sarasota, Hillsborough and Pinellas Counties on Florida’s Gulf Coast. ORE’s mission is to restore ecosystems and preserve ecological functions while increasing the understanding of the natural systems on which we all rely. ORE is a results-focused 501(c)(3) non-profit organization of ecologists, restoration practitioners, and environmental educators. They are dedicated to habitat (primarily oysters) restoration, stewardship, beautification and understanding the environment to benefit the quality of life for humans and wildlife alike, both now and for generations to come. ORE’s focus is on high quality impactful projects that make a meaningful difference for the future of our area. This can range from multi-million dollar large-scale restoration (such as oyster restoration in the Manatee River) projects to backyard bioswales. ORE provides planning, design and implementation expertise to complete meaningful projects.

This is just a snapshot of the work being done by these organizations and I encourage you to explore their websites for a full picture of their missions, events and ways you can get involved while accomplishing meaningful work, meeting new, like-minded individuals and having some summer fun!