Transcript SHELLFISH RESTORATION BEST AQUACULTURE PRACTICES

SHELLFISH
RESTORATION
BEST PRACTICES
DOT LEONARD
SANDY MACFARLANE
Supported by ISSC, The Nature Conservancy and NOAA Restoration Center
BACKGROUND
The Role of ISSC
The Team
The Broader Community
SHELLFISH RESTORATION
WHY RESTORATION?
• Substantial decline all shellfish species in
all ecoregions of the earth
• Habitat degradation (globally 85% of
oyster reefs are lost)*
• Continued development pressures on land
leading to degraded water quality
*TNC: Shellfish Reefs at Risk
RESTORATION LANDSCAPE
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Pilot projects = limited effects
Few successful stock enhancements
Low funding level
Minimal project visibility
Few people participate except in
community action programs
• High level of awareness for participants
WHAT ARE BMP’S (or BAP’s)?
• Set of guiding principles
• Specific actions for specific issues
• Implemented strategies to preserve
environment
• Usually voluntary, possible “peer pressure”
• Sometimes regulatory
• No verification
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WHY BMPs FOR
RESTORATION?
Currently no guidelines in place
Many diverse players
Inconsistent agendas
States differ in their restoration
requirements
• Consistent educational component
missing
• Potential conflict with NSSP
• Ineffective communication among
participants and regulators
TWO SIDES OF THE COIN
• Restoration Benefits
– Provides ecosystem services
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Uptake and cycling of nutrients
Erosion/sedimentation control by reefs
Additional habitat for estuarine species
Increased biodiversity
– Provides opportunities for community action
programs
– Water quality improvements
– Provides educational programs
– Expands potential for food production and
jobs
TWO SIDES OF THE COIN
• Regulatory Issues
– Some restoration activities occur in
unclassified and unapproved areas
– Potential for harvest of illegal
stock/bootlegging
– Requires increased resources for
enforcement
– Requires surveillance of all planted shellfish
• To ensure that only commercially approved
shellfish reaches market
• To ensure that shellfish grown in unapproved areas
is not directly consumed
IS EDUCATION THE ANSWER
EDUCATION PROGRAMS
• What are the educational needs of
restoration specialists and oyster
gardeners?
• Should be familiar with relevant regulations/NSSP
to understand shellfish sanitation requirements
• Must know who is responsible and how shellfish
water quality is monitored and classified
• Shellfish biology
• Shellfish pests/diseases
• Human diseases
EDUCATION PROGRAMS
• What will they look like?
• Who will provide the education?
• Where does Sea Grant and Cooperative
Extension fit into the picture?
• Will education programs satisfy
regulators?
BMP’s
• Create bridges and develop constructive
dialog
• Identify issues and regional differences
• Identify underlying factors creating the
issues
• Identify commonalities, differences and
areas of agreement
• Describe potential solutions
Supported by
Contact:
Dot Leonard at 410-626-7206 [email protected]
Sandy Macfarlane at 508-255-5618 [email protected]
• Environmentalists say shutdown of N.J.
oyster beds could have detrimental effects
• Published: Sunday, June 13, 2010, 5:30
AM Updated: Saturday, June 12, 2010, 7:10
PM