Highlighting CCA Texas Partners in Conservation: The Impact of the Sink Your Shucks™ Program

The Sink Your Shucks™ oyster shell recycling program was initiated by the Harte Research Institute (HRI) at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi and is part of the Coastal Conservation and Restoration lab. The program stands as a testament to community-driven coastal conservation. Since its inception in 2009, the program has transformed discarded oyster shells into vital components for restoring Texas’ oyster reefs, thereby enhancing marine biodiversity, water quality, and shoreline resilience.

CCA Texas has been a proud supporter of this effort for many years, both financially and by encouraging and rallying local volunteers to participate in this consequential effort. CCA Texas’s financial support includes a $152,000 grant spread across two years in 2022, a $200,000 grant spread across four years in 2024, and a $10,000 grant secured in partnership with James Avery Artisan Jewelry in 2022 to replace transport trailers.

Founded by Dr. Jennifer Pollack and Corpus Christi restaurateur Brad Lomax, Sink Your Shucks™ was the first program in Texas to reclaim oyster shells from local restaurants and return them to bay waters to form new reefs. This innovative approach addresses the critical need for oyster shell substrate, which is essential for the attachment and growth of juvenile oysters. Without such initiatives, harvested shells often end up in landfills, depriving marine ecosystems of a crucial building material.

As of 2025, the program collaborates with over 15 partner restaurants, 7 oyster farms and 4 festivals across the Coastal Bend and state, collecting shucked oyster shells that would otherwise be discarded. These shells are transported to a quarantined area provided by the Port of Corpus Christi, where they undergo a natural sanitization process over six months. Once sanitized, the shells are bagged in biodegradable beechwood bags and distributed to various reef restoration sites. Community volunteers play a pivotal role in this process, participating in shell-bagging events that contribute to the construction of new oyster reefs. In the recent volunteer bagging events held at Goose Island State Park in May 2025 and over the course of three days, more than 400 passionate volunteers packed 37 tons of reclaimed oyster shell into 2,973 biodegradable beechwood bags and 'sunk' them into St. Charles Bay.

As of 2024, Sink Your Shucks™ has collected over 3 million pounds of oyster shells and restored more than 45 acres of oyster reef habitat in the Mission-Aransas Estuary, encompassing Copano, Aransas, and St. Charles Bays. These restored reefs provide essential habitat for various marine species, including fish, crabs, and other organisms, thereby enhancing biodiversity. Additionally, oyster reefs play a crucial role in improving water quality by filtering phytoplankton and excess nutrients and act as natural barriers that protect shorelines from erosion.

“Oysters spawn from Spring through Fall, releasing sperm and eggs into bay waters. The young larval oysters have no shell and swim freely for about 3 weeks before seeking a hard surface to attach to and begin building their shell,” commented Stephanie DeWaters, Sink Your Shucks™ Oyster Recycling Program Coordinator. DeWaters continued “Oysters prefer to settle on the shells of other oysters, which is why every recycled shell truly matters. By returning shells to the bays, we are not just reducing waste, we are giving future oysters a place to grow and helping to restore the very reefs that support a healthy coastal ecosystem.”

The program’s innovative approach and significant contributions to coastal conservation have garnered widespread recognition. In 2025, Sink Your Shucks™ was designated a Texan by Nature Conservation Wrangler, a prestigious recognition celebrating the state’s most impactful and innovative conservation projects. This partnership aims to amplify the program’s impact by expanding oyster shell recycling, advancing reef restoration, and deepening community engagement across the Texas coast.

Furthermore, Sink Your Shucks™ has received support from various organizations, including H-E-B, which awarded a generous donation to support the program’s initiatives. This funding has enabled the program to expand its efforts and further its mission of coastal conservation and restoration.

Beyond its restoration efforts, Sink Your Shucks™ is committed to fostering environmental stewardship through education and community engagement. This hands-on involvement not only enhances public understanding of coastal ecosystems but also empowers individuals to contribute to conservation efforts. Educational materials and programs are designed to raise awareness about the importance of oyster reefs and the role they play in maintaining healthy coastal environments. Through these efforts, Sink Your Shucks is dedicated to helping the community understand the importance of our local waterways and oysters, the benefits they provide, and why conservation matters.

The Sink Your Shucks™ oyster shell recycling program exemplifies the power of community involvement in environmental conservation. By transforming discarded oyster shells into vital components for reef restoration, the program not only enhances marine biodiversity and water quality but also fosters a sense of shared responsibility for the health of coastal ecosystems. As the program continues to evolve, it serves as a model for innovative, community-driven conservation efforts that make a lasting impact on the environment and the communities that depend on it.

For more information or to get involved, visit SinkYourShucks.org.

CCA Texas and partners encourage you to be a part of this amazing effort by participating in community events and by asking for Texas Farmed Raised Oysters when you eat out in restaurants across the state.

Current oyster shell providers:

Restaurants:
Black Diamond Oyster Bar
Boiling Pot
Castaway’s Seafood & Grill
Copano’s
Corpus Christi Yacht Club
Dai Due
Doc’s Seafood
Dokyo Dauntaun
Hometown Seafood Company
KC’s Oyster Shack
Latitude 28°02’
Packery Bar
Southerleigh Fine Food & Brewery
Virginia’s on the Bay
Waterstreet Oyster Bar

Oyster Farmers:
Big Tree Oyster Company
Blackjack Point Oyster Company
Clearwater Oyster Gardens of Texas
Copano Oyster Company
Key Allegro Oyster Co.
Lone Star Oyster Company
Oyster Bros

Festivals:
Fulton Oyster Fest
St. Mary’s Fiesta Oyster Bake
Texas Indie Oyster Fest
Texas Oyster Round Up