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The North Carolina Coastal Federation is working to bring oyster habitat back to the Lower Cape Fear River through an ambitious, multi-year Oyster Pathway. Learn how this collaborative restoration effort is reconnecting reefs, strengthening coastal ecosystems, and creating a healthier future for one of North Carolina’s most important waterways—and how Toadfish is helping support the work.

This summer, the Toadfish Conservation Coalition helped support a new 200-foot living shoreline at SCDNR’s Marine Resources Research Institute at Fort Johnson in Charleston Harbor. Built on years of SCDNR research, the project combines manufactured wire reefs and oyster shell bags to create new oyster habitat, protect an eroding salt marsh, and provide researchers with valuable data on how living shorelines can strengthen South Carolina’s coast.

Toadfish partners with the Oyster Recovery Partnership to support large-scale oyster reef restoration across the Chesapeake Bay. Through shell recycling, reef construction, and community-driven initiatives, ORP is rebuilding critical habitat, improving water quality, and strengthening coastal ecosystems. This collaboration highlights the impact of long-term conservation efforts and the importance of oysters in restoring balance to one of the nation’s most vital and productive estuaries.