National Marina Day - Help Save Choctawhatchee Bay

Description

The Choctawhatchee Basin Alliance (CBA) and Bluewater Bay Marina Complex are calling for volunteers to assist in a community-wide effort to construct oyster habitat along the Marina’s Rocky Bayou shoreline. The public event will be held on National Marina Day, June 11, 2016, from 9am to 1pm.  
 
The project is a natural extension of CBA’s long-time partnership with Bluewater Bay Marina. The Marina has progressively lost acres of land along the protective sand spit that separates Ward Cove from Rocky Bayou due to erosion from wind and wave energy, and CBA’s Operation Restoration program offers a solution to this problem. On National Marina Day, CBA and volunteers will extend the existing oyster reef from the Marina Cove Townhomes property down to the tip of the sand spit, to deter further erosion from depleting the protective barrier’s shoreline.  
 
Aside from deterring erosion, CBA’s oyster reefs provide a number of positive benefits to Choctawhatchee Bay. The reefs provide habitat for intertidal marine life, and promote the growth of live oysters which filter water, improving water clarity and quality. One live adult oyster is capable of filtering 50 gallons of water in a single day. These benefits help to restore the native habitat that once thrived in Choctawhatchee Bay, and help to keep the Bay’s shorelines intact.  
 
The volunteer effort will begin at the boat ramp at Bluewater Bay Marina Complex with an oyster shell bagging event. Volunteers will then move the bagged oyster shell onto a barge, which will be transported to the island’s restoration site where the oyster reef construction will begin. Volunteers are encouraged to arrive promptly at 9am to ensure proper preparedness and instruction for the restoration effort. The effort will end at 1pm, when volunteers will be transported back to the boat ramp on the Marina’s property.  
 
Volunteers are encouraged to bring a water bottle, sunscreen, protective sun gear, and to wear water appropriate closed-toe shoes. Additional supplies, water to refill bottles and snacks will be provided. For more information about the National Marina Day restoration effort, please visit- www.basinalliance.org  
 
“Bluewater Bay Marina Complex is a family-owned and operated business that believes in taking care of the Choctawhatchee Bay because it sustains not only our livelihood, but our entire community.  CBA is the organization that is caring for the health of the Bay, so it’s only natural that we have a strong partnership with them. We hope this project and partnership will provide an example to the rest of the community so they will support CBA’s efforts to preserve our environment for future generations. We invite the public to come out and do their part to restore our Bay, and keep our area the best place to live, work and play.” – Ryan Hinely, Operations Manager & Shareholder of Bluewater Bay Marina Complex.  
 
Choctawhatchee Basin Alliance is a non-profit organization responsible for improving the health and sustainability of local waterways through monitoring, education, restoration, and research. For 20 years, CBA has promoted water stewardship within the Choctawhatchee watershed, growing the network of supporters who join in CBA’s mission to provide a future for these precious, natural resources. For more information, visit- www.basinalliance.org