Swan Island Oyster Sanctuary

North Carolina Strategic Plan for Shellfish Mariculture: a Vision to 2030

A multi-stakeholder group worked together to create a shellfish mariculture plan for North Carolina in order to grow the industry in a sustainable way. Shellfish mariculture is the cultivation of oysters, clams, mussels and other bivalves in…
Swan Island Oyster Sanctuary

Stock Assessment on the Horizon

Despite a trending decline in oyster populations over the last 200 years in North Carolina, the remaining reefs continue to support a multimillion-dollar commercial fishery ($4,045,444 ex-vessel value in 2016), as well as valuable recreational…
Swan Island Oyster Sanctuary
Swan Island Oyster Sanctuary

North Carolina Shellfish Initiative to launch Aug. 2

North Carolina to launch state Shellfish Initiative at public event on Aug. 2 MOREHEAD CITY — North Carolina will officially join a national effort that demonstrates the social, economic and environmental importance of shellfish at a public…
Swan Island Oyster Sanctuary

Preparing for 2018 Reef Building Activities

Through the 50 Million Oyster Initiative, the North Carolina Coastal Federation, North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries and other partners restored 15 acres of oyster sanctuary in 2017 and plan to restore 10 acres in 2018. The goal of the…