In July, the Florida Wildlife Research Institute oversaw the first large-scale cultch effort on Apalachicola Bay’s oyster bars since 2017, as 9,600 cubic yards of “cultch” material was placed in Apalachicola Bay

In July, the Florida Wildlife Research Institute oversaw the first large-scale cultch effort on Apalachicola Bay’s oyster bars since 2017, as 9,600 cubic yards of “cultch” material was placed in Apalachicola Bay.

Cultch is solid material that give oysters a place to grow, like discarded oyster shell, fossilized shell, or crushed rock.

Oysters require hard substrate to attach and grow and if there aren’t enough older oysters to provide substrate, restoration managers must add cultch to provide habitat for young oysters.

The Apalachicola Bay wild oyster fishery collapsed in 2012 and was declared a federal fisheries disaster.

Loss of suitable habitat is a major factor in the decline.

Since then researches have been working to rebuild the fishery and in 2020 the state closed the wild oyster fishery for five years.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has funding for a larger cultching effort to begin in 2022, with hopes that these restoration efforts will allow for the return of wild caught oysters in the Apalachicola Bay.

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