Demand for oyster shell far outstrips supply.
The result is high shell prices and competition between restoration and commercial uses. This scarcity is largely due to shell loss after harvesting. Simple policy changes that forced capture of “waste” or harmful products in the past have sparked development of whole new industries, such as toxic waste management and recycled products. Similar regulatory drivers could unleash markets around shell recovery and recycling. If it were illegal to discard shells in garbage dumps, or the fees to do so were heavy enough, business pathways to reclaim and recycle shells would develop.
“Making this all work is not a biology issue. It is a materials handling issue.”
—John Supan
Director, Louisiana Sea Grant Oyster Program
The Action (and how to get in on it)
Oyster pod is developing aspects of this opportunity.
Interested? Contact us! contact@futureoffish.org
