Increasing oyster aquaculture awareness in Charleston, South Carolina

2024 eeBLUE mini-grant awardee - Charleston, South Carolina

Project summary

South Carolina Aquarium, in partnership with Charleston Oyster Farm, South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, and the South Carolina Sea Grant Consortium, is launching an initiative to educate the public about the benefits of oyster aquaculture and the differences between farmed and wild oyster harvesting methods. The initiative includes experiential learning tours at an oyster farm, tailored for different age groups, and a public panel discussion and shucking demonstration. Interviews with panelists will be shared on social media and resources created will build on the efforts of the South Carolina Aquarium’s Good Catch Program. These activities aim to connect local audiences who rarely engage with the oyster farming supply chain with industry workers and to provide educational experiences. The project will also make oyster farm tours more accessible and affordable, adding an educational component often missing from tours. Special tours will be offered for the Maryville community, the first self-governed African American community in South Carolina.

A person leans over a plastic bucket to shuck an oyster. Only the persons torso, arms, and legs are in view.
Good Catch aims to educate consumers on how to interpret which seafood options are local and sustainable, like the oysters seen here. (Image credit: Courtesy of South Carolina Aquarium Good Catch Program)
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Additional information

Lead institution: South Carolina Aquarium
Other project partners: