Oyster program phase two

The Mississippi Department of Marine Resources is set to start on the second phase of a program to rebuild and revitalize oyster reefs in the western Mississippi Sound.
During this phase, employees and contractors will plant about 160 acres of cultch material on several reefs. The cultch material provides points of attachment for oysters which in return enhances oyster habitat.
Officials with the DMR tell News 25 the amount of oyster sacks per year has been very low. They are hopeful this program will increase numbers throughout the next decade. Melissa Scallan with DMR Public Relations said, “Our goal that the governor set for us was a million sacks a year by the year 2025 so that’s what we’re going for and in past years before Hurricane Katrina we would harvest about 500,000 sacks of oysters a year so we want to get back to that and surpass that with this type of effort.”
Recently the numbers have been between 25,000 to 45,000 sacks a year. The reefs involved in this program include Pass Christian, Pass Marianne, Henderson Point, and St. Joe. Contractors are expected to finish by the end of August.

Categories: Local News, News

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