North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries

Building the Reefs
Most of the recycled shells are used in annual cultch planting. The shells are loaded onto barges and sprayed off with a high-pressure water hose to create reefs. These sites are located in brackish to salty coastal waters. Shells make great homes for oysters. A single oyster produces millions of eggs annually that are carried by currents and tides to surrounding areas, enhancing oyster production in adjacent waters. Once the shells are placed on a reef they begin to attract baby oysters. Oysters grow to harvesting size in 2 to 3 years
Men Fishing on Oyster Reef
Estuarine Species Attracted to Oyster Reefs:

Barnacles
Black Sea Bass
Black Drum
Blennies
Bryozoans
Crabs&
Croaker
Flounder
Gag Grouper
Gray Trout
Mussels
Oyster Toadfish

     

Pinfish
Pigfish
Red Drum
Sea Mullet
Sheepshead
Shrimp
Spadefish
Speckled Trout
Spot
Striped Bass
Turtles
Tunicates

     
 

One individual may not be able to create a sizable reef, but by pooling our shell resources, researchers and scientists can construct large reefs in prime oyster growing areas enhancing oyster productivity and providing hook and line fishing opportunities for the public.

So take your shells destined for the trash heap and turn them into an estuarine treasure by participating in the North Carolina Oyster Shell Recycling Program.



Public Shell Recycle Locations

Restaurants That Recycle Shells
Friends of Shell Recycling
Educational Information
Contact Information & Resources
Shell Donation Forms
Recycling Program Awards