Oyster farming a dying bay

Oyster farmers like Erin and her family are part of a network of Floridians working to save the oyster population in Florida. A combination of over-harvesting, hurricanes, oil spill threats, and the reduction in freshwater thanks to the growth in Georgia's increasing occupancy, has led to a demise in the oyster population. In response, FWC shut down harvesting wild beds in 2020 in hopes that they will replenish themselves.

In 2014, Florida began to issue leases for individuals to grow floating oyster beds. Not only does this give people a chance to run a business, but this plan has contributed to cleaning and filtering the water. Farmers lease a small parcel where they grow year-round. The work is grueling and time-consuming, but for people like Erin, it's worth it. She left a corporate job that paid well to help her family with the farm. Most folks have to take on a second or third job to get by, and like any business, it can take years of stress before seeing a profit. But for Erin, it's worth it.