GOMESA Application Details

Internal Project Number: 281394
1. Title of Project: Mississippi Comprehensive Coastal Restoration Initiative
2. Location of Project: Mississippi Gulf Coast
3. Requesting Organization: National Fisheries Restoration, a Mississippi non-profit corporation
4a. Name: William Ladnier
4b. Position
4c. Phone Number: 228-918 6090
4d. Fax Number
4e. Address Line 1: 5720 Gulf Stream Point
4e. Address Line 2
4e. City, State Zip: Biloxi, MS
4f. Email: wjladnier@yahoo.com
5. FundingRequested: $1,500,000
Awarded Amount:
6. Other State or Federal Funding Sources: No
7a. Amount of Additional Funds
7b. Source of Additional Funds
8. Total Project Funds Amount: $1,500,000
9. Project Description/Overview: National Fisheries Restoration (NFR) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization established to assist federal, state, local governments and private partners in implementing fisheries and coastal habitat restoration programs in a cost-efficient manner. In addition, to grant administration and program coordination, NFR will directly support environmental restoration activities, including coordination of barge transport and deployment of artificial reef materials from staging areas in Gulfport, Biloxi, or Pascagoula, Mississippi, and assistance with identification, removal, and disposal of derelict vessels as mutually agreed with the Department of Marine Resources (MDMR). NFR also proposes to partner directly with Oak Island Oyster Company, LLC (Oak Island) to implement a unique comprehensive Oyster Cluster Growth and Restoration Program (OCGR Program) designed to advance oyster reef restoration efforts in the coastal waters of the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Under the OCGR Program, Oak Island will spawn, set, grow, and deliver high-quality oyster clusters — groups of oysters naturally fused together — cultivated to specific size suitable for reef restoration and ecosystem enhancement. The OCGR Program will not only contribute directly to the ecological restoration of Mississippi’s oyster reefs but will also promote educational collaboration with Mississippi’s higher education institutions and governmental marine agencies.
10. Project Goals/Objectives: 1. Transport and deployment of three barge loads (i.e., 120' x 40') of artificial reef materials. 2. Removal and disposal of four derelict vessels with specific vessels mutually agreed and identified by NFR and MDMR. 3. The primary goals of the OCGR Program are to: A. Cultivate and supply oyster clusters for deployment in the Mississippi Gulf Coast restoration sites designated by MDMR; B. Support oyster reef restoration to enhance biodiversity, improve water quality, and strengthen the coastal ecosystem; and C. Provide educational and research opportunities for college students, state marine resource employees, and other participants to study and observe Oak Island’s unique oyster cluster growth methodologies.
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: The removal of derelict vessels containing petroleum and other contaminants provides significant benefits to wetlands by eliminating chronic pollution sources, restoring habitat physical structure, and preventing the degradation of water quality. These vessels, which often sink or become stranded in marshes, mangroves, and tidal areas, release heavy metals, fuel, and toxic substances that destroy delicate coastal ecosystems. Oyster and artificial reefs act as natural, self-sustaining coastal protection by dissipating wave energy, reducing erosion, and buffering storm surges to protect shorelines and wetlands. They provide critical conservation benefits by filtering water and providing habitat, while aiding restoration efforts by stabilizing sediments. The loss of such reefs significantly impacts coastal infrastructure, including homes, roads, and navigation. Purposes of Coastal Protection: Coastal Restoration: Adding artificial reefs and rebuilding natural habitats like artificial oyster reefs restores ecosystem functions (water filtration, biodiversity) that were lost to erosion or degradation. Conservation: Protecting existing ecosystems ensures the ongoing health of marine habitats, which serve as natural buffers for biodiversity. Erosion Control & Stabilization: Oyster reefs stabilize sediment and prevent land loss from waves, floods, and tidal currents. How Artificial Oyster Reefs Assist in Hurricane Protection: Natural Breakwaters: Three-dimensional oyster reefs act as submerged or intertidal breakwaters that reduce wave energy before it hits the shore. Storm Surge Reduction: By acting as a barrier, they help decrease the height and impact of storm surges associated with hurricanes. Adaptation to Sea Level Rise: Unlike hard structures (seawalls), living oyster reefs can grow vertically, maintaining their protective function despite rising sea levels. Cost-Effective Resilience: These natural infrastructures are often more resilient and require less maintenance than hardened structures like bulkheads. Infrastructure Affected by Coastal Wetland/Reef Loss: The degradation of natural defenses like artificial and oyster reefs and wetlands directly threatens: Residential Homes & Businesses: Increased vulnerability to flooding and storm damage, which can lead to higher insurance premiums and repair costs. Coastal Roadways & Infrastructure: Coastal erosion directly damages roadways, bridges, and utility lines. Marinas and Docks: Loss of protective reefs and marshes exposes marine infrastructure to higher energy waves and faster deterioration. Coastal Economies: Damage to fishing and tourism industries due to reduced habitat, poor water quality, and loss of shorelines.

(B) Mitigation of damage to fish, wildlife, or natural resources.: Yes: The removal of derelict vessels containing petroleum and other contaminants mitigates damage to fish, wildlife, and natural resources by eliminating, or preventing, the release of toxic substances, restoring habitats, and removing physical hazards to marine life. These vessels often contain fuel, oil, lubricants, batteries, asbestos, and lead-based paint, which can leach into the water, contaminate sediments, and enter the food chain. Key ways removal mitigates damage include: Preventing Toxic Spills and Bioaccumulation: Derelict vessels often leak petroleum products and chemicals (e.g., chromium, copper, zinc). Removing them removes the source of these contaminants, which can otherwise be ingested by marine organisms and bioaccumulated up the food chain, affecting everything from fish to mammals. Protecting Sensitive Habitats: Vessels that are aground or sunken can physically crush or chafe sensitive habitats such as seagrass beds. Removal allows these areas to recover, fostering biodiversity. Preventing Entanglement: Abandoned vessels often become tangled with derelict fishing gear (ghost nets), which can continue to trap and kill fish, marine mammals, and seabirds. Eliminating Physical Hazards: Sunken or partially submerged vessels pose risks to navigation, but they also damage habitats by breaking apart during storms and creating widespread debris that can cover vast areas of the seafloor. Reducing Long-Term Pollution Costs: Proactive removal is generally more effective and less costly than dealing with the environmental damage caused by a vessel that has already broken apart and released its contents. By clearing these vessels, the water quality is improved, and the long-term ecological, social, and economic health of the coastal environment is protected. Oyster reefs mitigate damage to coastal ecosystems by filtering pollutants (up to 50 gallons/day per oyster), enhancing water clarity, and constructing 3D habitats that provide food, shelter, and nurseries for fish, crabs, and shrimp. Artificial and oyster reefs act as natural breakwaters, reducing erosion and buffering shorelines against storm surges.

(C) Implementation of a federally-approved marine, coastal, or conservation management plan.: Yes: Artificial reefs (fish havens) are authorized under both state and federal permits including US ARMY Core of Engineers and the US Coast Guard. The MDMR derelict vessel removal program operates under permits that include US ARMY Core of Engineers and EPA. The OCGR Program falls under the jurisdiction of the MDMR oyster restoration program which is federal authorized, primarily through U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) permits, including Nationwide Permits (e.g., NWP 27 for aquatic habitat restoration). These permits require compliance with state water quality certifications from the MDEQ. These coastal restoration projects also comply with the Coastal Wetlands Protection Act as activities impacting coastal wetlands and habitats.

(D) Mitigation of the impact of Outer Continental Shelf activities through funding of onshore infrastructure projects.: Yes: Artificial reefs and coastal restoration projects that maximize fish and other marine organism counts mitigate the impacts of Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) activities—including industrial pollution and oil spills—by providing hard substrate for colonization, fostering biodiversity, boosting ecological resilience, and physically anchoring shorelines. These projects serve as vital "nodes" of productivity that help restore damaged ecosystems and act as a buffer against oil spill damage by concentrating marine life away from vulnerable habitats, or providing resilient habitats that can recover more quickly. In the event of a oil spill, like the Deepwater Horizon, restored ecosystems and artificial reefs offer a, higher-than-average biodiversity oasis that can facilitate quicker ecosystem recovery. The high density of microorganisms and invertebrates on these structures can contribute to nutrient cycling, helping to maintain water quality.

12. Project Timetable/Milestones: The timetable for artificial reef construction and derelict vessel removal will be completed within 1 yea or less from the award date of the grant. Over a period not exceeding three years from the award date of the grant, Oak Island will cultivate and deploy at least 30,000,000 million oysters in cluster formation. Each oyster cluster will contain on an average of at least three (3) or more individual oysters with a minimum cluster size of 1 inch in diameter. The deployment of oysters in 1 inch diameter cluster formation offers advantages related to mortality rates and oyster reef establishment and growth, thereby improving the cost effectiveness and benefit per oyster when compared to the same factors applied to existing single oyster restoration efforts. For context, by using 1 inch diameter cluster formation to deploy 30,000,000 oysters, the cost per oyster is as follows using the following range of mortality rates: (i) at a zero mortality rate the maximum cost is $.0416 per oyster (i.e., $1,250,000/30,000,000 oysters); (ii) at a 25% mortality rate the maximum cost is $.0555 per oyster (i.e., $1,250,000/22,500,000 oysters); and (iii) at a 50% mortality rate, the maximum cost is $.0833 per oyster (i.e., $1,250,000/15,000,000 oysters). The OCGR Program will provide the State of Mississippi with robust oyster reef recovery by investing more time growing oysters prior to deployment (i.e., up to 0.25” to 0.75”) for each oyster within each oyster cluster. The investment in the additional growth period will minimize premature mortality loss due to natural causes including (i) changes in gulf water temperature, salinity, PH or alkalinity or oxygen depletion and (ii) predation by other marine animals. Research shows that the deployment of oyster clusters (as opposed to single oysters) provides an advantage to the rapid establishment for an oyster reef location. The increased weight and surface area of 3 oysters in cluster form are less likely to succumb to removal or relocation from the targeted reef in the event of adverse tidal and/or wave conditions when compared to the deployment of 3 separate oysters of similar size. Because of this the overall deployment coverage area will remain better intact and over time have a greater chance of becoming self-sustaining. Oyster cluster height is critical for improving marine habitats because it creates vertical, three-dimensional complexity that, unlike flat, degraded oyster beds, can grow and persist over time. As oysters stack on top of each other, they create intricate structures that function like "underwater multi-story apartment complexes," offering crucial benefits to the ecosystem. Increased height and structural complexity create a variety of niches, providing food, shelter, and nurseries for fish, crabs, and other invertebrates. Increased vertical relief often leads to higher biodiversity, including crabs, shrimp, and species like seahorses. Higher, more complex reefs reduce predation pressure on young oysters by creating more predator-free, sheltered spaces.
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 objectives and goals described in this project support and align closely with the mission of the MDMR through ecosystem restoration, pollution removal, habitat enhancement, and research collaboration. 1. Restoration and Enhancement of Marine Habitats One of the central objectives in the project is the deployment of artificial reef materials and the cultivation of oyster clusters for reef restoration. These activities directly enhance marine ecosystems. • The project proposes transport and deployment of three barge loads of artificial reef materials to designated restoration sites. • It also includes the Oyster Cluster Growth and Restoration (OCGR) Program, which will cultivate and deploy approximately 30 million oysters in cluster formations to help rebuild oyster reefs. These efforts align with MDMR goals by: • Rebuilding degraded oyster reefs along the Mississippi Gulf Coast • Increasing habitat complexity for fish, shrimp, crabs, and other marine organisms • Enhancing biodiversity and fisheries productivity Oyster reefs are essential ecological structures that provide habitat and nursery areas for many commercially and recreationally important species. 2. Protection of Water Quality and Marine Ecosystems The project also addresses removal and disposal of derelict vessels, which can be significant sources of pollution. • The project proposes removal of four derelict vessels containing petroleum and hazardous materials. Removing these vessels supports MDMR’s conservation mission by: • Eliminating sources of fuel, oil, heavy metals, and toxic substances that contaminate marine environments • Preventing bioaccumulation of pollutants in the food chain • Restoring habitats damaged by stranded or sunken vessels • Eliminates eye sores that degrade the beauty of bays rivers and marshes This directly protects water quality and marine life, which is a core responsibility of MDMR. 3. Coastal Resilience and Habitat Conservation The project explains that oyster reefs and artificial reefs function as natural coastal protection systems. These structures: • Reduce wave energy and shoreline erosion • Stabilize sediments and wetlands • Provide buffers against storm surge and hurricanes By strengthening natural coastal defenses, the project helps protect: • Coastal wetlands • Shoreline habitats • Infrastructure and coastal communities These outcomes support MDMR’s long-term objective of sustaining healthy coastal ecosystems for future generations. 4. Improvement of Water Quality and Ecosystem Health Oyster restoration contributes directly to water quality improvements. Oysters filter pollutants and improve water clarity, with each oyster capable of filtering significant amounts of water daily. Improved water quality benefits: • Seagrass beds and wetlands • Marine species survival and reproduction • Commercial and recreational fisheries This ecological improvement supports MDMR’s goal of maintaining productive and healthy marine waters. 5. Scientific Research and Educational Opportunities The OCGR Program also supports education and research partnerships with universities and marine agencies. These collaborations: • Allow college students and marine resource professionals to study innovative oyster restoration methods • Support scientific research into reef restoration and ecosystem resilience By encouraging research and workforce development, the project contributes to long-term stewardship and management of Mississippi’s marine resources. 6. Long-Term Sustainability of Marine Resources The project emphasizes cost-effective and self-sustaining restoration approaches, such as deploying oyster clusters that have higher survival rates and better reef establishment. This approach: • Improves restoration success • Maximizes ecological benefit per oyster deployed • Promotes the creation of self-sustaining oyster reef systems These outcomes support the long-term conservation goals of MDMR.

16. Estimated Years To Completion: 3
17. Estimated Completion Date

Budget:

Salaries,Wages, Fringe
Travel
Architecture & Engineering
Legal
Consulting
Construction
Site Work
Equipment
Indirects
Other: $1,500,000
Total: $1,500,000


Application Submission Date: 03/16/2026
Fiscal Year: 2028
Project Status
Application Status: Submitted
Meets Criteria
Internal Notes:
Attachments:: https://gomesa.dmr.ms.gov/attachments/GOMESA_1394_Attachment.pdf
Hyperlink:: Attachments

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