GOMESA Application Details
- 1. Title of Project
- Coastal Mississippi Oyster Enhancement Program
- 2. Location of Project
- Biloxi Small Craft Harbor is the site of production. The product purchases can be used throughout the Mississippi Sound located in 3 coastal counties.
- 3. Requesting Organization
- Biloxi Oyster Company, LLC
- 4a. Name
- Michael Moore
- 4b. Position
- 4c. Phone Number
- 2283482664
- 4d. Fax Number
- 4e. Address Line 1
- 14751 Longwood circle
- 4e. Address Line 2
- 4e. City, State Zip
- D'Iberville, MS
- 4f. Email
- mike@biloxifishing.com
- 5. FundingRequested
- $8,430,000
- Awarded Amount:
- $0
- 6. Other State or Federal Funding Sources
- No
- 7a. Amount of Additional Funds
- $0
- 7b. Source of Additional Funds
- 8. Total Project Funds Amount
- $8,430,000
- 9. Project Description/Overview
- The Biloxi Oyster Company, LLC is proposing a privatized contract with the DMR to produce larvae and seed for restoration. The Biloxi Oyster Company has the footprint, staff, and stock to produce 40 million plus larvae every 14 days. Currently, The Department of Marine Resources is purchasing larvae from many sources. By purchasing larvae from the Biloxi Oyster Company, the State of Mississippi will be purchasing from an actual State of Mississippi Oyster Farmer. This operation will be done by a collaboration of farmers and young professionals in the field of Marine Biology from the State of Mississippi. The Biloxi Oyster Company also has the capability to grow out diploid oysters to 1 inch for release. This concept could be a valid restoration method and population method for bottom leases. From spawn to 1 inch oyster can be grown in 5 months. The Biloxi Oyster Company is prepared to do grow out for the State of Mississippi to help encourage farmers to plant seed and boost restoration efforts. This proposal has no added cost for staff, travel, advertisement, or miscellaneous. All funds awarded are simply for products produced at an agreed value. If the product is not produced, then the money is not redeemed. The current value of larvae is $1,000 - $1,500 a million- and 1-inch seed is selling at 15 to 22 cents. Fair market value for all purchases is the goal. The project would produce 560 million larvae and 15 million one inch seed per year for 3 years.
- 10. Project Goals/Objectives
- The project goal is to assist the State of Mississippi in restoration efforts. Restoring the Mississippi Sound will "take a village". The Department of Marine Resources has done a class act job at taking chances and trying new things to help the Mississippi Sound rebound from the 2017 Blue Green Algae event of the Bonnet Carrre Spillway opening. Our goal is to help assist in producing larvae for the State of Mississippi so it can continue its work in restoring the Mississippi Sound. We also have goals of producing 1-inch oysters that just may be a jump start for our commercial fishery and on bottom leases. Our goal is to maximize the use of the footprint and equipment we have located in the Biloxi Small Craft Harbor. The Biloxi Oyster Company has the capability of producing 40 million larvae every 14 days and 15 million one inch oyster seed per year. Finally, the Biloxi Oyster Company has a sister company, the Biloxi Cruise Company. The Biloxi Cruise Company owns the popular attraction The Biloxi Shrimping Trip. Over the last year the Biloxi Oyster Company has created an Oyster Hatchery and Nursery Tour. If an award was granted to the Biloxi Oyster Company for production of larvae and seed, this process will be demonstrated to the public of how we, as a community, are making extreme efforts in rebuilding our Mississippi Sound.
- 11. Which of the following authorized uses set forth in the GOMESA Act does this project fall under?
- (A) Projects and activities for the purpose of coastal protection, including conservation, coastal restoration, hurricane protection, and infrastructure directly affected by coastal wetlands losses
- Yes: Restoration of oysters has been the priority of the Department of Marine Resources for many years. Oyster reefs are the domino that effects the entire Gulf of Mexico. This organism helps with erosion, which in result protects the coast from hurricanes. It's a key commercial natural recourse, and it's responsible for filtering 50 gallons a water a day per oyster. Restoration of the oyster population is a high priority, as it should be.
- (B) Mitigation of damage to fish, wildlife, or natural resources.
- Yes: In 2017, Mississippi lost over 95 percent of its oyster stock. A huge effort among Universities, State and federal agencies, and the community as a whole has been aggressively trying to restore the Mississippi Sounds wild oyster population. This project will help agencies, farmers, and the department of Marine Resources be successful at providing a product and resource by rebuilding its stock.
- (C) Implementation of a federally-approved marine, coastal, or conservation management plan.
- Yes: Oyster restoration is a large part of this plan. By restoring Mississippi's resource, this project will be following the conservation management plan.
- (D) Mitigation of the impact of Outer Continental Shelf activities through funding of onshore infrastructure projects.
- Yes: Restoration of oysters have been used in mitigation many times. The purchase of larvae and 1 inch oysters will be distributed and used solely by the DMR discretion. The DMR is the key agency in all restoration efforts for the Mississippi Sound.
- 12. Project Timetable/Milestones
- The timetable/ milestones will be documented by output of product. We would like to produce larvae every 14 days from April to the end of October. Growing out to one inch oysters can start by May and the first one inch oysters may be available by mid-august. This cycle of setting seed to grow to one inch will occur monthly. The growing of larvae and seed is highly weather permitting. Each year we will get started soon as the water reaches 70 degrees and produce as much as mother nature will allow. Or millstones is simply producing a quality product.
- 13. Project Timing
- Short-term
- 14. Current status of architectural/engineering plans & specifications for this project (if applicable):
- Completed Paid For
- 15. In what way does this project meet the goals and objectives of the Department of Marine Resources, which includes enhancing, protecting and conserving the marine interest of Mississippi for present and future generations?
- The Biloxi Oyster Company has a unique situation. Its business structure is the epitome of “ Blue Economy”. Our family's tour boat the Biloxi Shrimping Trip educates tourists daily about Mississippi Sound's Natural Resources. With the new addition of the Biloxi Oyster Hatchery and Nursery Tour we can demonstrate Mississippi's efforts to restore its natural resources after several devasting events. By using these funds to contract out the Biloxi Oyster Company to grow larvae and grow out oyster seed to 1 inch, The Biloxi Oyster Company will be on the ground level in helping restore the Mississippi Sound for better water quality, productivity of oyster harvest, and have a long-lasting resource for future generations.
- 16. Estimated Years To Completion
- 3
- 17. Estimated Completion Date
- 12/31/2028
- Budget:
- Salaries,Wages, Fringe
- $0
- Travel
- $0
- Architecture & Engineering
- $0
- Legal
- $0
- Consulting
- $0
- Construction
- $0
- Site Work
- $0
- Equipment
- $0
- Indirects
- $0
- Other
- $8,430,000
- Total
- $8,430,000
- Internal Project Number
- 1301
- Application Submission Date
- 06/30/2024
- Fiscal Year
- 2026
- Project Status
- Application Status
- Submitted
- Meets Criteria
- Internal Notes: