DNR enhances, restores Glynn County reefs with 213 tons of oyster shell

The Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is continuing to enhance and restore oyster reefs on the Peach State’s coast, most recently in a public shellfish harvest area in Glynn County.
Contractors working for DNR’s Coastal Resources Division (CRD) in June placed approximately 140 tons of loose oyster shell in Jointer Creek, west of Jekyll Island. This brings the total oyster shell put back into Georgia’s estuaries in the last 14 months to 213 tons.
“Oysters, in particular, are very important, as they are ecosystem engineers providing vital services in addition to being a harvest species,” said Cameron Brinton, a marine biologist with CRD. “Oysters help stabilize banks, improve water quality and create essential fish habitat for commercially and recreationally important fish.”