Mississippi projects aim at improving oyster reefs
ocean
GULFPORT, Miss. (AP) – The head of Mississippi’s Department of Marine Resources says a test oyster project has succeeded beyond expectations.
The idea was to try growing baby oysters on shells in tanks to help populate oyster reefs. The department got 98 million oyster larvae and added them to six 1,000-gallon tanks holding sea water and empty oyster shells at the Port of Gulfport.
About 17.6 million baby oysters were attached when the shells were put into Biloxi Bay. Department executive director Joe Spraggins says the $62,000 cost worked out to half a penny per baby oyster.
The larvae came from the University of Southern Mississippi and the Auburn University Shellfish Laboratory.
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12/27/2021 3:59:27 PM (GMT -6:00)
