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American Littoral Society Receives Funding for Oyster Restoration Program
New Partnership Launches to Restore Oysters in Pursuit of Clean Water and Healthy Fish Habitats
HIGHLANDS, NJ(03/15/19, 2019) - American Littoral Society has partnered with Toadfish Outfitters of Charleston, South Carolina, to benefit its oyster restoration program. Toadfish Outfitters, a manufacturer of thoughtfully designed coastal lifestyle products, will make an initial donation of $4,000 for the Littoral Society’s benefit, and will donate a portion of its New Jersey-based sales on an ongoing basis.
“Oysters are the ultimate friend of the coast as they help to keep our waters clean,” said Casey Davidson, founder of Toadfish Outfitters. “Since day one, we’ve promised to give back a portion of every product sold toward oyster habitat restoration, so working with the American Littoral Society was a natural fit.”
“We are great believers in the potential of oyster restoration to help address the challenges facing New Jersey’s waters,” said Tim Dillingham, Executive Director of the American Littoral Society. “We depend on strong partnerships like the one with Toadfish Outfitters and are glad to be taking on this work together with them. It will help oyster restoration efforts in New Jersey immensely.”
“A single oyster filters up to fifty gallons of coastal water per day, removing the toxins from run off and creating a coastal habitat where hundreds of smaller species like barnacles, mussels, crab, can thrive,” said Davidson. “It’s nature’s way of keeping the coast clean.”
As part of the Operation Oyster program, the Society has restored a subtidal oyster reef in Barnegat Bay off Good Luck Point and engineered several tidal reefs along New Jersey’s Delaware Bayshore. The Society has also begun work along the Navesink and Shrewsbury rivers, with the hope of eventually restoring reefs in those waters, and runs the “Shuck It, Don’t Chuck It” shell recycling program in support of the restoration program.
Historic over-harvesting and decades of pollution, accelerated by rampant development, have decimated New Jersey's natural oyster population. Oysters help keep water clean and oyster reefs help protect the coastline.
The Delaware Bay reefs help reduce erosion from beaches that horseshoe crabs use for breeding and shorebirds use for feeding. The Bayshore work involves society staff, military veteran interns, and countless volunteers. Every year, on Veterans Day, the Society names a reef in honor of those who served in the US armed forces.
“We look forward to partnering with Toadfish and, with their help, keeping up the oyster restoration momentum in New Jersey,” said Capt. Al Modjeski, Habitat Restoration Director for the American Littoral Society.
Visit www.littoralsociety.orgto learn more about Operation Oyster.
To support American Littoral Society’s efforts, individuals can purchase Toadfish items including its Put ’Em Backshucking knife and innovative shrimp deveiner from Toadfishoutfitters.com or visit a local retailer where Toadfish products are sold.
About Toadfish
TOADFISH OUTFITTERS is a manufacturer of thoughtfully designed eco-friendly coastal products and apparel. It is an eco-active company dedicated to protecting the saltwater environment and keeping it healthy; educating customers to better understand the cause and effect of over-harvesting versus replenishment and elevating everyone’s enjoyment of the water.
About American Littoral Society
Leaders in coastal conservation since 1961, the American Littoral Society, a 501 (c)3 non-profit organization, promotes the study and conservation of marine life and habitat, protects the coast from harm, and empowers others to do the same.
Federal Tax ID: 22 173 1073
