The North Carolina Coastal Federation will soon begin restoring 100 acres of the Pamlico Sound for an oyster sanctuary.
The project will mark the completion of a two-decade long goal of restoring 500 acres for oysters along North Carolina’s Coasts.
Howard Schnabolk is a restoration specialist at the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, which is funding the project. He said while the Coastal Federation’s goal may have seemed a bit lofty a decade ago, the finish line is in sight.
“They just created a big vision and big goals, that probably at the time they were established seemed a little unrealistic,” he said, “But now we can see they are attainable.”
Schnabolk said it’s a $15 million investment in North Carolina’s growing oyster industry, and though these areas cannot be harvested, they clean the water and provide healthier habitats for farmers and wildlife.
“It’s an area that’s not harvested, but it supports the other people who do harvest oysters in other locations and also provides really good fish habitat around those reefs,” he explained.
Secretary of North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality Elizabeth Biser added, “There are also substantial ecosystem benefits. Healthy coastal habitats are connected to healthy fisheries and increased resiliency against more frequent and intense storm events.”
According to the Coastal Federation, the state’s oyster industry totaled $30 million in 2021, with a goal of reaching $100 million by 2030. The organizations also recycles oyster shells to help restore reefs, as well as protect existing oyster habitats.
There are currently 15 oyster sanctuaries that dot the coast of the Inner Banks, from Northern Dare County down to Oriental, each about 30 acres in size.
