Volunteers raise oyster gardens to help restore reefs
BAY ST. LOUIS, Miss. (AP) — Volunteers along U.S. coasts are raising oysters from tiny translucent spat to hard-shelled bivalves that can help restore depleted reefs. Oyster reefs are a keystone of coastal ecosystems. Each oyster filters 25 to 50 gallons of water a day. Spat glue themselves to larger oysters and grow. The reefs provide habitat for shrimp, crabs and many kinds of fish, and can also protect shorelines. […]