Whether intertidal, shallow, or making up live rock deep in Pamlico Sound, it is clear no other coastal habitat in North Carolina serves as many essential functions asoyster reefs.
Oysters are filter feeders that are unparalleled at improving water quality – a single oyster can help clean 60 gallons of water a day! Oyster reefs are key to ensuring healthy fish populations and offer protection for gamefish such black drum, sheepshead, and redfish.
Decades of overfishing, combined with recent water quality issues, have caused over 90% of our natural oyster reefs to disappear. In response, Coastal Conservation Association North Carolina (CCA NC) is launching the Living Reef Action Campaign (or LRAC).
At the heart of the program is the new LRAC traveling trailer loaded with all of the materials needed to build concrete reef balls, providing a hands-on opportunity to teach our next generation of conservationists about the vital role oyster reefs play in our coastal ecosystem. Area schools, camps, or other organizations can participate in building new reef structures that will help restore artificial reefs, reclaim eroded zones, and even establish new oyster habitats as needed.
So, keep an eye out for the LRAC trailer, CCA NC will be hitting the road with it soon. To host the LRAC trailer at your school, organization or business, call the CCA NC office at(919) 781-3474.
Or email us at info@ccanc.org