Discussing Oyster Restoration in New York and Massachusetts on WGBH radio

We recently were part of a piece on "Under The Radar" with Callie Crossley on WGBH Radio. Terry and I were impressed with watching the crack team pull this piece together so professionally.  You can listen to it here. http://wgbhnews.org/post/under-radar-053115

Radio Hostess Callie Crossley

If Oysters Are An Aphrodisiac- Watch Out!

This is a bit off the restoration topic...  but so noteworthy that we had to share.
 
A competitive eater took the “oyster-eating belt” back to Virginia after slurping down 41 dozen of Louisiana's favorite bivalves. That is 492 oysters!

Sonya “The Black Widow” Thomas, a Korean-born American competitive eater from Alexandria, Virginia, won the Acme Oyster Eating Contest at the New Orleans Oyster Festival earlier this month. She swallowed 41 dozen Louisiana oysters – that's 492 oysters! – in eight minutes.

She dominated the field, beating the competition by at least 5 dozen oysters. New Orleans' own Adrian “The Rabbit” Morgan tied for second with 36 dozen oysters. He shares second place with Michelle “Cardboard Shell” Lesco from Tucson, Arizona.

Cory “King Voodoo” Fanguy finished third with 26 dozen oysters.

The oyster eating contest was not the only notable competition during the weekend's festivities.
The P&J Oyster Shucking Competition also drew a large crowd. Bayley Mowatt took home the top prize by shucking 18 Louisiana oysters in two minutes. Mowatt represents the Joile Pearl Restaurant in Baton Rouge.

The largest oyster this year was submitted by Terry's Oyster of Port Sulphur. It measured 8.625 inches length by 4.5 inches width and 2.27 inches high.

The Sixth Annual New Orleans Oyster Festival celebrated that local delicacy – the oyster – this past weekend at Woldenberg Riverfront Park at the Mississippi River. More than 20 restaurants showed off their versatility of our region's favorite bivalve at the Festival.

Low-cost Technique for Oyster Restoration

 We recently uploaded this presentation on oyster restoration as we see it as a way to potentially reduce the costs of oyster restoration.

Highly efficient oyster spat production technique for restoration from Massachusetts Oyster Project for Clean Water

Today, Restore America's Estuaries releases its latest report "Impact Assessment: Federal Coastal Habitat Investments Support People, Fish, and Wildlife" highlighting the positive impacts that coastal habitat restoration efforts provide for job creation, tourism, fishery production, recreation, community protection, and human health. "Coastal communities rely on healthy coastal habitat because it creates tourism opportunities, supports clean air and water, protects communities from extreme weather, and supports commercial and recreational fisheries," said Jeff Benoit, President and CEO of Restore America's Estuaries. "The real-world project examples demonstrate how federal investments in coastal habitat restoration deliver a broad range of public benefits." The report documents how federal investments are having a big impact for people, fish, and wildlife by bringing abstract budget line items to life through a series of nine real-world case studies across the coast. The geographically dispersed case studies present project summaries, partners, benefits, and results for on-the-ground projects. Read more and check out the full press release on-line at: http://www.estuaries.org/Impact Assessment

Today, Restore America's Estuaries releases its latest report "Impact Assessment: Federal Coastal Habitat Investments Support People, Fish, and Wildlife" highlighting the positive impacts that coastal habitat restoration efforts provide for job creation, tourism, fishery production, recreation, community protection, and human health.  

"Coastal communities rely on healthy coastal habitat because it creates tourism opportunities, supports clean air and water, protects communities from extreme weather, and supports commercial and recreational fisheries," said Jeff Benoit, President and CEO of Restore America's Estuaries. "The real-world project examples demonstrate how federal investments in coastal habitat restoration deliver a broad range of public benefits."

The report documents how federal investments are having a big impact for people, fish, and wildlife by bringing abstract budget line items to life through a series of nine real-world case studies across the coast.  The geographically dispersed case studies present project summaries, partners, benefits, and results for on-the-ground projects.

This  report highlights how improving our estuaries creates economic value in the form of jobs, uses of our open spaces, improved quality of life and higher property values.

  at: http://www.estuaries.org/Impact Assessment 

New Hampshire Passes Oyster Restoration Legislation

CONCORD, N.H. – Gov. Maggie Hassan has signed into law a bill that would allow the Fish and Game Department to close clam, oyster and other bivalve areas for restoration efforts in the Great Bay.

New Hampshire's Great Bay Estuary

Hassan said Monday the measure will help ensure the sustainability of shellfish restoration projects and the ecological and water-quality benefits they provide.

The measure requires any such closure be preceded by a public hearing, be limited to 50 acres, and be for a period of not more than five years.

Great Bay is in the Gulf of Maine watershed.