GOMESA Application Details

Internal Project Number: 1180
1. Title of Project: Floating Oyster Nursery
2. Location of Project: Lower Pascagoula River and Biloxi Bay, pending on permitting and partnering school locations
3. Requesting Organization: RESTOREEF NPO
4a. Name: Ignacio Lopez-Morales
4b. Position
4c. Phone Number: 970-237-0929
4d. Fax Number
4e. Address Line 1: 34 53rd St
4e. Address Line 2
4e. City, State Zip: Gulfport, MS 39507
4f. Email: iggylm@gmail.com
5. FundingRequested: $300,000
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: $300,000
9. Project Description/Overview: This project involves creating and operating (for 3 years) a floating off-grid oyster nursery for larvae set on micro cultch. A floating nursery is beneficial as it becomes significantly more efficient to operate and provides greater reliability (shorter pipe lengths and lower head loss). The mobility/off-grid aspect allows this nursery to be transported to favorable waters in the event of a drop in salinity, as well as deeper in-shore in the event of inclement storms. This floating oyster nursery doubles as an educational tool since it can be moved/tugged to various locations where it can be accessible to be used by students of various school districts. In this manner, RESTOREEF aims to educate high school students in the practices associated with oyster seed cultivation, assisting in developing a labor force that will be necessary to the reemerging oyster industry. The oyster seed produced will be used in public reef restoration and in part sold to supply diploid on- and off-bottom oyster seed demand for aquaculture. Additionally, this nursery will also serve, to a lesser extent, to produce “spat-on-shell” for more immediate deployment. The seed and “spat-on-shell” will be used for reef restoration, donated to schools and organizations interested in oyster gardening, and a small portion sold to private industry to be used in oyster aquaculture. The revenue from seed sales will be used to continue operation of the nursery beyond initial 3 years.
10. Project Goals/Objectives: 1) Develop an alternative, more energy and labor efficient, approach to oyster seed cultivation that does not involve land-based operations, and is powered by renewable energy. 2) Promote education on the importance of oysters to marine ecosystems, and allow teenage Mississippians to explore the nursery stage of oyster aquaculture, thereby introducing them to alternate career paths. 3) As more oyster seed producers turn to triploid larvae production, RESTOREEF aims to continue providing diploid seed set on micro-cultch. 4) Provide a more effective and predictable means of seeding oyster reefs than spat on shell. 5) Partner with other institutions and organizations in achieving a common goal of coastal conservation through education and public participation.
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: This project aims to produce oyster seed predominantly to enhance oyster reef conservation efforts. The majority of seed produced will be used to help restore historic oyster reefs of Mississippi, potentially create new ones in the Barrier Islands, and wherever viable habitat is available. RESTOREEF is a non-profit organization with the goal of littoral marine ecosystem conservation/restoration and public education of the valuable services provided by healthy coastline ecosystems.

(B) Mitigation of damage to fish, wildlife, or natural resources.: Yes: The 2019 Bonnet Carre Spillway disaster severely impacted Mississippi oyster reefs that serve as sediment and nutrient sinks as well as critical nursery habitat for a great portion of marine fisheries. Public education in oyster nursery techniques and assisting oyster reef recover using our floating oyster nursery, will serve to regain ecosystem services associated with oyster reefs. Growing larger seed set on micro-cultch will allow for a more predictable method of seeding, all the while accelerating the self seeding effects of new or reconstructed oyster reefs.

(C) Implementation of a federally-approved marine, coastal, or conservation management plan.: Yes: RESTOREEF will initially concentrate efforts along the Gulf Coast of Mississippi. Encouraging public participation in the recovery of landfill-bound oyster shells through education, social media marketing and friendly competitions in schools, is but one of the projects that RESTOREEF strives to undertake as part of a greater effort to maximize the benefits to coastal communities by natural ecosystems. In order to guarantee success, collaboration with MSDMR, EPA, and other SeaGrant participants will take place to develop viable strategies to restore and conserve litoral marine ecosystems, especially those dependent on oysters.

(D) Mitigation of the impact of Outer Continental Shelf activities through funding of onshore infrastructure projects.: Yes: RESTOREEF will collaborate with MSDMR and EPA to develop viable oyster reef improvement strategies along the Gulf Coast of Mississippi. The seed produced in the floating nurseries will be relayed in accordance with MSDMR recommendations to restore public, state owned, and leased oyster reefs.

12. Project Timetable/Milestones: Within 1 year of receipt of funds, finalize design, construct and deploy floating oyster nursery with the collaboration of partner high schools. Procure necessary seed production permits from the MSDMR. Anchor at locations that offer a good compromise between water quality requirements, accessibility to students, and safety from natural and human threats. Hire and train full time staff to operate the nurseries and educate/supervise participating students. Purchase diploid eyed larvae, set in microcultch, cultivate in nurseries up to a 2cm mean diameter Determine adequate reef seeding locations with the MSDMR, and relay large (2cm) seed at known quantities. Monitor the development of deployed oyster seed to evaluate productivity of various natural and enhanced reef locations. Continue operations for an additional 3 years after initial nursery deployment.
13. Project Timing: Short-term
14. Current status of architectural/engineering plans & specifications for this project (if applicable):: Other In house prototype design Funds Budgeted

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?: 1) The direct effect of this floating nursery is a greater quantity of better quality diploid seed, with greater probability of survival than spat-on-shell, to be used for oyster reef restoration. 1.1) It will also serve to supply additional spat-on-shell for reef seeding. 2) It assists in the education of interested students on the practices to cultivate oysters at the nursery stage. 2.1) It will serve as a pipeline for a trained labor force to serve the oyster aquaculture industry. 3) It pilots an innovative approach to oyster seed cultivation in a non-land based approach that is more energy and labor efficient. 3.1) This allows entrepreneurs to enter the oyster nursery business without the need to invest or lease expensive coastal land and lowers risk of loss in the event of a hurricane or adverse growing conditions. 4) It offers young participating Mississippians direct exposure to nature, and introduces them to additional career paths in the “Blue Economy”.

16. Estimated Years To Completion: 4
17. Estimated Completion Date: 7/31/2027

Budget:

Salaries,Wages, Fringe: $160,000
Travel: $4,000
Architecture & Engineering: $2,500
Legal: $7,500
Consulting: $3,000
Construction: $22,000
Site Work: $0
Equipment: $95,000
Indirects: $5,000
Other: $1,000
Total: $300,000


Application Submission Date: 07/31/2023
Fiscal Year: 2025
Project Status: Not Awarded
Application Status: Accepted
Meets Criteria: Yes
Internal Notes:
Attachments:
Hyperlink:: Attachments

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