Above : IROC Oyster farm
Right : ( left to right ) Ryan & Jessica Norris and Ilonka & Dennis David
A Quality Water Education
David says educating others about water quality around the lagoon is part of the company ’ s mission . Luckily , red tide hasn ’ t impacted the business , but other water quality issues have , like algae blooms . As a farm helper , Frame agrees . “ The waters are so important to us ; our product is 100 % dependent on healthy living conditions ,” says Frame . “ Oysters do what coral reefs do out in the ocean : they create environments for tons of species to thrive off of . Our farms act as a filtration system for the lagoon , and we have thriving wildlife in our area because our community makes very conscious efforts to ensure the natural beauty and ecosystem stay clean .”
One unique public outreach tool IROC uses includes farm tours , an intimate kayaking experience . The tour includes information about the lagoon , oysters , and even an oyster tasting .
Another educational opportunity is IROC ’ s partnership with Marine Discovery Center ( MDC ) through its Shuck & Share program . Established in 2014 , MDC partners with local restaurants to put discarded oyster shells into shoreline restoration projects instead of landfills .
Weekly , MDC volunteers pick up buckets filled with empty oyster shells . The shells then head into “ quarantine ” for six months to dry out any foreign bacteria before being placed into plastic-free , double galvanized mesh wire bags . Since its inception , over 700,000 pounds of oyster shells have been used for shoreline restoration .
“ The program relies on community efforts , from restaurants to volunteers to restoration practitioners , but it ’ s a simple way to give back using resources that are readily available ,” Sailor-Tynes says .
Above : IROC family
Above : Large oyster pile
Giving Back
If it weren ’ t for businesses like IROC , oyster ecosystems would look quite different .
Unfortunately , a steady decline in water quality along with unsustainable harvesting has led to a reduction in oyster reef habitats , according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ( NOAA ).
“ It ’ s a secret that people don ’ t realize how much we ’ ve lost in oysters ,” says David , who is also on a committee dedicated to developing a statewide oyster plan to restore oyster estuaries .
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