CCA SC Applies Funds to Support Oyster Recycling and Enhancement Program

The green footprint left in the Palmetto State courtesy of celebrated marine wildlife artist and conservationist Dr. Guy Harvey continues to grow. Last year Dr. Harvey, through the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation (GHOF) donated proceeds received from the highly popular Guy Harvey instant ticket game for the South Carolina Education Lottery to several coastal and wildlife organizations. Checks totaled $226,000.

Recently the Coastal Conservation Association of South Carolina (CCA SC), which received $75,000 from the GHOF, applied a portion of the funding to help purchase a Mack Dump Truck to be used by the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SC DNR) as part of the South Carolina Oyster Recycling and Enhancement program (SCORE). In partnering with the SC DNR, CCA SC plans to create a statewide oyster recycling circuit to benefit the state¹s estuaries and marine ecosystems. CCA SC has built the first public Oyster recycling drop off site in Columbia and Richland Counties with intentions to build many more.

³These drop-off sites have been utilized along the coast for several years now and truly make it possible for us to have suitable reef material on hand in the restoration of oyster reefs² said Gary Keisler, CCA SC Topwater Action Campaign Coordinator. ³The establishment of this site, and the many
we have planned to follow, is expected to expand our gathering of oyster reef material, thus expanding the number of oyster reef projects that can be undertaken.²

In addition to the recently purchased Mack Dump Truck, a GHOF/Palmetto Moon trailer funded through an earlier grant has been used every week to collect and transport shells. The SC DNR has collected around 24,000 bushels of shell this season and CCA SC volunteers contributed close to 20% of that total or around 249,000 pounds. The CCASC recently had over 125 volunteers at the popular Boone Hall Oyster Festival where they collected over 67,000 pound of Oyster shells.

Keisler said the CCA SC is working on a new program named ³CCA-SC Shellmate² where loose shells will be taken to participating schools to be bagged and eventually returned to the water for planting.

³I can¹t say enough about how much the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation has helped us grow our conservation efforts,² said Keisler. ³Their support has validated our efforts and the work that we have done. The funds from the GHOF have allowed us to make key investments to keep our momentum going strong. Together we are making a difference and Habitat Today Means Fish for Tomorrow.²

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