From Jim Oppenborn, St. Lucie County Marine Resource Coordinator, Public Works Department, and Vincent Encomio PhD, Research Scientist, Florida Oceanographic Society:

The Oyster Restoration Project on spoil island SL 18B was an immense success. Over 30 volunteers were joined by the FDEP - Coastal and Aquatic Managed Areas (CAMA), the Florida Oceanographic Society (FOS), Florida Seagrant, and St. Lucie County participants. Chop Lege transferred passengers aboard his pontoon tour boat while oyster modules were transported on boats brought by Commissioner Dzadovsky and CAMA.

Two hundred seventy-five lineal feet of oyster reef covering approximately 825 square feet of reef were put in place. The order of placement was modified due to the exceptional weather, water clarity, and shallow tide. Since the seagrasses were visible, the most waterward line of oyster bags were placed first. By doing this seagrass beds were circumvented by at least 10 feet. All bags were placed in intertidal areas, to enable the juvenile oysters to withstand predation.

Everyone worked so well and efficiently that all modules were employed in one day. There will be at least one more bagging day to create modules for the FOS experimental seeding reefs and additional oyster reefs which will all be placed between the reefs created July 20th. If you would like to participate in bagging oysters on August 6 th please contact Vincent Encomio, vencomio@fos-cc.org or Jim Oppenborn, oppenbornj@stlucieco.org. Thanks to all the volunteers who helped with the project. Thanks also to all the various agencies cooperating together to ensure the project's success. Special thanks to the Fort Pierce Tribune and Stuart News for running the story that notified so many of our volunteers.