Florida Passage Site

GADNR in partnership with the Coastal Conservation Association of Georgia and Ashland Inc. constructed the Florida Passage site north of Marker 99 in the Intracoastal Waterway adjacent to Queen Bess Island.

Strategy

Construct 0.037 acres of habitat using materials suitable for larval oyster settlement including recycled oyster shell bags placed on top of wooden pallets to encourage reef formation along the shoreline. It is hoped that the area between the oyster reefs and the marsh will ll with sediment and marsh grass.

Eighteen volunteers from Ashland Inc. and Coastal Conservation Association of Georgia Richmond Hill Chapter joined CRD staff worked on the Florida Passage site.

Results

Monitoring was conducted periodically since the initial deployment. The southern portion of the reef recruited oysters successfully and thrived. However, the southern portion subsided into the mud before oysters could establish. Maintenance was conducted on the subsided portion of the reef in 2016 by placing new oyster over existing reef areas overtaken by sediment. The site is now functioning as a natural oyster reef and does not require additional maintenance.