Quantifying the Benefits of Oyster Reef Restoration: A tool for promoting “Living Shorelines”? Steven B. Scyphers SP Powers, KL Heck, Jr., MA Lott University of South Alabama and Dauphin Island Sea Lab 2008 International Conference on Shellfish Restoration, Charleston, SC

Overview Why Restore Oyster Reef Habitat? Oyster Reefs as “Living Shorelines” Case Studies in Coastal Alabama Fisheries Results Conclusions and Implications

Why Oyster Reef Restoration ? Benefits Economical Ecological Benefits Benefits Ecological Ecological Economical Restore Harvestable $eafood Habitat for Finfish & Shellfish Stabilize Shorelines Mitigate Eutrophication Improved Water Clarity Justification for most restoration efforts Facilitate Expansion of Other Habitats

Historical Shoreline Armoring Graph from Douglass & Pickel (1999)

Historical Shoreline Armoring Vertical erosion down the barrier Loss of critical intertidal habitat Net loss of fishery production Figure and Image from Douglass & Pickel (1999)

Historical Shoreline Armoring Bilkovic and Roggero (2008), MEPS

Research Sites in Coastal Alabama Helen Wood Park Two replicated reef configurations Restoration targeted towards coastal property owner scale Restored May 2008 Point aux Pins & Alabama Port sites Replicated Subtidal Oyster Reef Complexes at each site Restoration targeted towards landscape scale PaP restored May 2007 AP restored Oct. 2007

Living Shoreline Restoration Graphic Credit: Mobile Press Register

Reef Construction 65m 1m 1m 13m 15m 1m 1m 5m 25m

Project Questions Can subtidal, breakwater oyster reefs stabilize eroding shorelines? 2. What are the fisheries benefits of these reefs? How do oyster reefs compare to traditional shoreline armoring?

Point aux Pins Point aux Pines Seagrass Control Control Erosion between 1978-1986 (actual date unknown) and 2006 Erosion between 2006-2007 Seagrass Control Control

Point aux Pins Control Breakwater

Fisheries Sampling Methods Shoreline

Oyster Recruitment

Oyster Recruitment

Blue Crab Abundance

Penaeid Shrimp Abundance

Transient Fish Sampling 30m experimental gillnets 2 and 4 inch stretch 2 hour soak time 1 hour prior to and post sunrise

Demersal Fish Abundance Paired t-test (n=11) P= 0.004

Species Richness Paired t-test (n=11) P= 0.003

Family Sciaenidae- Abundance

Subtidal Oyster Reef Restoration Restored oyster reefs could function as “living shoreline” alternatives to traditional armoring Created oyster reefs provide substrate for oyster recruitment Benthic inverts and demersal fishes utilize the reefs for habitat and foraging

Why Oyster Reef Restoration ? Benefits Economical Ecological Benefits Benefits Ecological Ecological Economical Restore Harvestable Oysters Ecosystem Services Commercial & Recreational Fisheries Protect Upland Property & Wetlands Justification for most restoration efforts

Acknowledgements Dr. Sean P. Powers (Advisor, Project P.I.) Dr. Kenneth L. Heck, Jr. (Project P.I.) Mary Austill Lott (The Nature Conservancy) Funding U.S.A. Oyster Program NOAA NGI The Nature Conservancy EPA Mobile Bay National Estuary Program Cissie Davis Savannah Williams Glenn Miller Mobile Press Register TNC Staff Heck Lab Powers Lab Tech Support Auburn University Shellfish Lab ADCNR State Lands Div. DISL Grad Students Carly Steeves Stan Bosarge Dr. Scott Douglass Dr. Joel Fodrie Dottie Byron Matt Kenworthy Dr. Matt Johnson Crystal Hightower Jason Herman Jeff Jordan Carl Ferraro Mallory Reamer