The Eastern oyster is an iconic food and cultural resource in Coastal Alabama. An important indicator of the health of the Bay, oysters form reefs that provide habitat for other estuarine species, reduce long-term erosion of the shoreline, and filter pollutants from the water itself. A single oyster can remove harmful nitrogen and sediments from approximately ten gallons of water per day.
Unfortunately, local populations of the Eastern oyster continue to dramatically decline due to both human and environmental impacts, and it is estimated that more than 80 percent of Mobile Bay’s oyster populations have decreased since 1950, according to commercial landings data.
The Oyster Keepers Program is a hands-on reef restoration initiative that engages the community by activating waterfront property owners’ docks and piers to host adult oyster reefs. Over the course of the year, the oysters are safely suspended in cages year-round and produce larvae that seed new reefs. Each cage of oysters has the potential to produce 100,000,0000 oyster larvae per year and filter 2,000 gallons of water per day.
The Oyster Keepers program invites you to be part of restoring Mobile Bay by turning your piers into source reefs. When you join Oyster Keepers, your pier becomes a place where oysters grow, reproduce, and help strengthen the Bay. Each participating pier holds four cages filled with adult oysters and one shell string. Shell strings act as underwater nurseries for baby oysters. They are made from recycled oyster shells collected through the Alabama Coastal Foundation’s shell recycling program. The shells are drilled and strung together to create a surface where oyster larvae can settle and grow.
During the summer, the oysters release free-swimming larvae into the water. These larvae look for something solid to attach to. Shell strings catch some of them, allowing the larvae to attach, grow, and become baby oysters known as spat. At the end of the year, those shell strings are collected and planted in intertidal areas to help build new reefs. They also show us where oysters are thriving, helping guide future restoration work across the Bay. While this is happening, the adult oysters are already making a difference. A single oyster can filter up to 50 gallons of water a day and produce millions of larvae each year, supporting cleaner water and healthier habitat for the entire ecosystem.
Oyster Keepers commit to simple weekly maintenance of their cages and shell strings, becoming active stewards of the Bay. Baykeeper staff visit each site monthly to provide support, track progress, and ensure the oysters are thriving.
This work only succeeds because of people like you taking ownership of the health of our waters. We have secured all the piers needed for 2026, but if you want to be part of Oyster Keepers in the years ahead, sign up for our newsletter to stay connected. Together, we are working toward a goal of planting 5 million oysters by 2028, and your commitment helps move that goal within reach.
We are working toward a goal of planting 5 million oysters by 2028.
240,000 oysters deployed to restoration reefs in Coastal Alabama, where they will continue to grow and reproduce, increasing oyster populations and laying the foundation for future generations.
The program expanded, and we invited more pier owners to participate. We returned more than 60,000 mature oysters to Mobile Bay in 2024.
40,000 mature oysters returned to Mobile Bay.
