- Volunteers met on the shores of Newport Bay
- Oysters support healthy fish and wildlife populations and improve water quality
WHAT: Orange County Coastkeeper volunteers laid oyster beds across the Newport Beach coastline as part of the organization’s “Living Shorelines” project. In collaboration with Cal State Fullerton and Cal State Long Beach, this project revitalizes eelgrass and oyster populations to improve marine habitat and public health in Orange County.
WHY: Restoration of oysters is critical to the health and resiliency of the Newport Bay ecosystem. Oysters increase the abundance of fish and wildlife through their creation of complex habitat and improvement of water quality through filter feeding. They also stabilize sediments and buffer erosion, and wave energy, which can reduce the impacts of sea level rise.
VISUALS:
- Volunteers laying oyster shell down on the mud
- Chains of volunteers passing oysters from the shore to the restoration site in the water
WHO:
- Katie Nichols, Marine Restoration Director
- Cal State Fullerton and Long Beach students
- Volunteers
