The “ Oyster Shell Recycling Program ” is an initiative of the Louisiana Coastal Restoration Coalition to preserve and restore the coastal environment. The project consists of the artificial reconstruction of coral reefs damaged by man , using natural and waste materials. Since 2014, the initiative to recycle the shells of oysters, one of the most popular seafood in the United States, has been helping the recovery of coastal coral reefs. This project not only benefits marine diversity, but also the local community, who benefit from the benefits of protection from storms and environmental disasters.
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Coral reefs are formed from the sedimentation of the calcareous skeletons of polypoid animals belonging to the class Anthozoa, phylum Cnidaria. These formations play a multifunctional role: on the one hand they constitute a habitat and a refuge for many marine species of different sizes, on the other they influence the seabed and coasts. Oyster shells, like coral skeletons, are also made of calcareous material and could sediment and in turn form a coral reef.
Some Louisiana scientists have conceived a simple but ingenious idea to restore coastal coral reefs: using the waste of oysters, one of the most common molluscs as a fish product. Instead of being thrown away, these shells can be collected by restaurants and recycled to build artificial reefs.
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This program aims to restore coral reefs weakened by pollution, unwise choices and climate change, to ensure a safe habitat for marine organisms, improve the quality of water and the marine environment. At the same time, it offers protection against storms and hurricanes, forming a coastal barrier that limits damage caused by waves.
